Screams from the Past-The Epiphany
by HungerWho37
Summary: Sequeal to Echos of The Descendant. Primrose is still fighting to win the rebellion, even if everything seems to be going against her. When a supernatural happening causes her to be transported into the bodies of previous District 12 tributes in previous Hunger Games, what can she do to escape? Will she discover the Epiphany or be trapped in a vicious cycle of death forever?
1. Death is a good thing

**A/N: Hey everybody! I'm back! My christmas was awesome as always and I can't wait to get writing again!**

**This is the sequeal to my first story, **_**Echoes of The Descendant.**_** It is suggested that you read it first before this or it'll be very difficult to follow. **

**I've also decided that **_**Echoes of The Descendant**_** will be a trilogy. There will be that story, this one and one more after this. What's a sequeal to a sequeal? Meh, I dunno. Anyway, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games. All rights to Suzanne Collins and her amazing mind! **

Chapter One- Death is a good thing

The girl is dressed in black. She walks along the rainy paths of District 7 with a purpose. They say she has seen so much. They say she has been through more than the oldest person in Panem has been through. The Veil covers her face, she never lifts it to reveal her features. Her long, black dress falls down to her feet and brush against her ankles as she walks, revealing the flat pumps she always seems to wear. She has walked the streets of District 7 for two weeks now, going to the same building everyday, requesting to see the same woman who is never there.

They say she has eyes as old as the earth itself.

Today, though, was the day she discovered the lies that have been told to her. Today was the day she discovered that the people were hiding from her. That they're scared of her. They think of her as death itself who has come to consume to souls of 12 innocents, dressed in black and prowling the streets.

She doesn't care though.

She has a purpose.

A purpose no-one but her accomplice knows about.

The accomplice follows alongside the woman in black everyday. Their face is also obscured by the hood of their jacket. The accomplice manages to keep pace with the woman in black, which always seemed impossible with the quick, long strides the woman in black takes.

In the end, everyone knows that the woman in black is not just someone who will come and go as she pleases. She has a reason for being here.

And everyone knows that the reason involves us all.

~xXx~

I don't bother to knock this time, I've done plenty of knocking since I've been here and all I've gotten is disappointment. Johanna kicks the door open before I can even consider knocking anyway. She bursts into the reception room with an air of confidence and power. She immediately flips the reception desk and pushes the receptionist against the back wall.

"Someone's been lying," she sing songs to the terrified individual, pressing the tip of her gun against their temple.

"Put her down Johanna," I say stoneily as I walk past and head to the door the receptionist was protecting. "Just tie her up."

I hear the receptionist whimper one last time as I enter the room and shut the door behind me.

The woman I'm looking for sits across from me at a giant mahogany table. She looks up at me knowingly, her yellow eyes old and haggard. A smile tugs at her lips. "I knew you'd come."

"Are you Kwary Dealany?" I ask immediately.

"Yes," the woman nods. "And I'm guessing your Primrose Mellark. Or, as the people of the district have been calling you, death itself."

I rip the veil off my face and glare at her.

"You are the grandmother of Meladina Dealany, am I right or wrong?" I ask, not wanting to strike up a warm chat. I have a job to do.

"Your right," Kwary nods.

"There's no point wasting time," I state as a fact. "You've been lying to me for two weeks now. Why?"

"Because it wasn't time yet," Kwary answers.

"Oh, so now I'm on a schedule that suits you?" I almost snarl. "Your prissy receptionist has sat out there and lied to my face for fourteen days, telling me you weren't here just because it wasn't _time_ yet?"

"Yes, she has, but don't kill her. Poor girl was only following orders," Kwary replies, cool as a cucumber. Her calm demeanour rubs me the wrong way.

"I wasn't planning on killing her," I say. "Johanna maybe, but not me. Look Kwary, I _don't_ have time to be messed about with like that!"

"You say that," Kwary answers. "And yet your still here."

"Can you help me or not?" I ask in irritation.

"Of course I can you silly child," Kwary laughs. Her laugh cuts through me like a knife, adding gasoline to the fire of hatred that's been burning away in my stomach since I was picked for the Hunger Games.

"You're the only other member of the Dealany family that has inherited the psychic powers that Meladina seemed to of had obtained," I state. "True or false?"

"True," Kwary nods.

"You can predict the Capitol's next move, true or false?" I ask.

"True," Kwary answers.

I wait. Kwary just stares back at me. "Go on then," I say through gritted teeth, my patience running thin.

"I can't," Kwary states.

I growl. "I'm not joking Kwary."

"I can't," Kwary repeats.

"Why not?" I spit out.

"Give me your hand."

"What?"

"Give me your hand."

"Don't waste time!" I hiss. "Just look into the damn future."

"This will help child, just give me your hand," Kwary insists. I sigh and give her my hand. She pulls on it, forcing me to sit down on the seat across from her desk. Her fingers trace over my palm while she stares intensly at it.

"You've lost someone," she says after a couple of minutes. "Someone very close to you."

I shift uncomfortabely in my seat and squirm a bit. Yes, I have become much more hard and mean since Zeb died. I'll be the first to admit it. I can't help it, it just happens and I can't prevent my hostal attitude anymore. There's no point in trying to please people anymore.

"Someone you loved," Kwary continues. "Your still hurting."

"This is irrelevant," I say, not wanting to talk about Zeb. It's the only thing, bar my family and friends being kept in the Capitol, that makes me weak. "What is the Capitol's next move?"

"You miss him . . . terribly," Kwary continues, undeterred by my obvious sensitivity with the topic. Fine, two can play at that game.

"And yet you never let Meladina know you existed," I say to her acidly.

Kwary's gaze flicks up to meet my eyes. "Meladina knew very well that I existed. When her mother was shot she didn't come to me. It was her choice. To Meladina, I didn't exist."

"Why's that then?"

"I wasn't there for her at all. She didn't want to come to me."

She stares hard at me for another moment before looking back to my hand. "If you could chose between having him back or finding out this information on the Capitol, which would you chose?"

"The information," I lie. Finding out the information on the Capitol isn't absoloutely nesscary to the mission, it would just make everything a bit easier. If I had to chose between having the information on the Capitol or getting Zeb  
back. . .I would chose Zeb.

"Your lying," Kwary says immediately.

"No, I'm not," I lie again.

"Stupid child," Kwary sighs, shaking her head. "You miss him more than ever. You want him back."

"Give me the information Kwary! I don't have time for you to be reading my damn fortune!"

"You don't care about him then? Since you'd chose the information over-"

She doesn't get to finish the sentence as I've leaped over the desk and have her pressed against the back wall, my knife pressing against her neck. "Don't even finish that sentence," I hiss. "Unless you want your neck ripped open."

"So you _would_ rather get him back," Kwary smiles.

"Of course I would you stupid woman," I hiss.

Kwary nods-only slightly due to the blade of my knife- and closes her eyes.

"Death cannot bring down those who have done good in their life," she says. "Especially people who have not completed what they were born to do."

"Your point is. . . ?" I snap.

"The Mells theory will be furfilled," Kwary practically hisses, suddenly pressing her fingers against my forehead, just like Meladina did back in the arena.

And that's when I black out.

**A/N: Ah-ha! What's happened? :O **

**Dun, Dun, Dun! Anyway, I hope I've striked your curiousity enough to come back for the next chapter ;)**

**Reviewers get virtual cupcakes! :D**


	2. The Cult

**A/N: As I've said previously in echoes of the descendant, I'm just going to post a chapter when I finish it, so here's chapter two, the cult. I've written up way past chapter ten so there will probably be everyday updates until I catch up on it :)**

Chapter Two- The Cult

"Prim! Prim wake up!"

Johanna's face comes into focus slowly, her nose only visible due to the hood of her jacket darkening her facial features. My body seems to be shaking until I realize that Johanna is shaking my shoulders.

"Jo?" I groan, reaching up and rubbing my aching temples.

"Yeah brainless, it's me," Johanna replies, pulling the hood down off of her head.

"Where's Kwary?"

"She disappeared. Crazy old timer. . ." Johanna takes my hand and pulls me up off of the ground.

"What happened?" I ask, dusting off my dress.

"You passed out," Johanna replies, going over to the mahogany desk and shifting through some papers. "Either that or that Dealany woman knocked you out."

"I doubt that," I answer. "She looked like she could barely hold her own body weight."

"Never underestimate a psychic," Johanna murmers under her breath. "Did you get the information?"

"No," I sigh, disappointed in myself. "She was avoiding the question, kept going off topic."

"And you never directed the conversation back to the main info needed?" Johanna frowns, looking at me curiously.

"I tried, multiple times. I even mentioned Meladina to try and break her and make her just give me the info and let me leave. But she was persistant on going off topic. She wanted to read my palm. . ."

"And what did she find?" Johanna asks, not really interested in the slightest in the papers in front of her but trying to look busy.

"Him," I reply quietly. "She saw him."

Johanna's gaze flicks up from the papers to look me in the eye. "Him?"

"Yes, him," I confirm. "And her last words before I blacked out frighten me."

"What were they?" Johanna asks, deciding to just dump the papers as they were no help what so ever.

"_The Mells Theory will be furfilled_," I answer.

"The belief that you and Zeb could bring down the Capitol?" Johanna frowns. She starts pulling out drawers and tipping the contents out onto the desk, shuffling through the mess.

"Yes," I answer.

"What do you think she meant by it?"

"People don't seem to get it," I say. "Zeb is dead. He died of heart failure. He is no longer here, he's in a better place with his family. The Mells theory is dead. It never would have worked anyway. I'm too much of a coward and Zeb always got riddled with guilt when he killed a rabbit! There was no way on earth the Mells theory would have worked."

"Oh yeah, sure," Johanna scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"What do you mean by that?" I frown.

"Well, the theory was reasonable enough," Johanna says.

"What?"

"The theory wasn't impossible. The reasons for believing the theory were reasonable, do you not think so?"

"No," I answer, completely confused by her reasoning. "They just assumed we'd be like our family members when, in fact, neither of us ended up like them."

Ever since the rebellion began, the Mells Theory has somehow esclated to the point that it's now a cult. News from District 4 spread to the other districts, confirming that Zeb and I were alive, and only a select few now know that Zeb has died, so the Mells cult has grown more and more each day. People still believeing that Zeb is alive, and that we can bring down the Capitol. I'm not even sure I can bring it down on my own anymore.

"The cult is stupid," I state. "Their belief in the impossible is amazing though. They can't see the truth even when it's right in front of them."

"Primrose, seeing isn't believeing, believeing is seeing," Johanna says.

"What's with the sudden change of heart Jo?" I frown. "I thought we both agreed the Mells theory was null and void. Are you part of them now or something?"

"No, of course not," Johanna scoffs, giving me a dismissive wave of the hand.

"Then show me your arm."

"What?" Johanna snaps.

"Show me your arm."

Cult members get a tattoo to show their determination and deadication to their belief systems. If Johanna isn't part of it, she'll show me her arm.

"I can't believe you don't trust me," Johanna says in disbelief.

I march over to her and pull the hoodie seleve of her right arm up. I stare at her skin for a moment then look up at her. "How could you Jo?"

Because, on her skin, sits the emblem of the Mells' cult. A heart set on fire with an arrow shot through it. The fire represents me- the fire of my family still blazing on- and the arrow represents Zeb- not only his talent for archery, but his ancestors' bravery and strength-The heart is apparently what unites us both.

"Prim, I'm sorry," Johanna says. "I've had it way before I even met you. Now that's Zeb's gone I can't just abandon my whole belief system."

"What do you expect?" I snap. "For Zeb to miracuously rise from the dead just for the purpose of the Mells theory?"

"He did perform immaculate conception," Johanna mutters in reply.

"I'm sorry Johanna, I need some time alone, I'll see you later," I mumble, turning my back on her and walking out the door. I turn back round at the exit of the reception and sigh. "I'll meet you back at your house."

I leave Kwary's home and walk down the road. It's started to rain again and soaks through my clothes, chilling me to the bone. I can't believe Johanna. How could she? She knows how I feel about the Mells Theory, especially now Zeb isn't here anymore.

I kick a stone in annoyance as I cross a dam-like bridge. Looking over the edge I notice the water level is beginning to rise in the heavy rain. I haven't walked over the dam in the two weeks I've been here. It scares Johanna to death. It's the water. She still hasn't managed to bring herself to go near deep water, even though it's been years since she was held captive in the capitol and tortured with water. She can only just about wash in the mornings.

Still staring over at the water, I realize that it's gotten suprisinly bright. Must be a full moon I guess. I study the water carefully as it hits the dam walls and splashes against the wood. I look for a reflection of the moon in the waves but it isn't there.

That's when I realize the forecast said it would be a cloudy night.

_"What do you expect? For Zeb to Mircauously rise from the dead just for the purpose of the Mells theory?"_ A voice chuckles behind me. "I'm not sure if it's for the purpose of the Mells theory exactly but I have no other ideas how the heck this is happening."

I spin round in shock at the voice and slip on the wet ground.

Sending me right over the edge of the dam.

Could I?

Did I?

It couldn't be, could it?

Was that voice. . . Zeb?

**A/N: I'm giving nothing away :D**


	3. Tormenting the ill at ease

**A/N:** **This is pretty much a filler chapter, explaining everything that's been happening since the epilogue and now.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games :D**

Chapter Three- Tormenting the ill at ease

I grab hold of the dam wall and hang on for dear life. No, that wasn't Zeb. Your still grieveing Primrose, your just hearing things. All the stupid Mells theory talk has resurfaced memories.

I use all my strength to pull myself back over the wall. I land on my backside with a splash in a puddle on the other side, my dress splayed round my legs. I can feel my hair sticking to the nape of my neck, the braid coming loose after being put up in a rush this morning.

I've lost my mind. There hasn't been a day gone by when I haven't thought of my family and friends in the Capitol. I've kept the updater Cat gave me before they were kidnapped and I know, for a fact, that Lynn knows I have it. It doesn't stop her from sending updates though.

On each captive she holds.

Ten episodes. My dad has had ten episodes since being taken to the Capitol. He has accidently killed two peacekeepers during those episodes and injured a few others. Lynn finds it amusing. She hurts him in the hope of causing another episode. She tells him what a monster he is when it's over. She wants to break his mind into pieces and step on them over and over again.

Mom suffers her nightmares, worse than ever, and gets tormented and tortured as well. Lynn holds things against her, things she's done in the Hunger Games and the rebellion, trying to break her, make her cry, make her feel guilty. It works, of course it does. My mom's mind isn't strong. It isn't powerful. She can't handle torment like that.

Lynn is trying to convince Gale to join her side. She sees the potential for great things in him and wants him to become one of her head peacekeepers. Everytime he refuses her she hurts him. And he refuses every single time. Lynn hurts him to the point of death then drags him back into life, like being hauled over broken glass. Letting somone die would be too easy. Every time he'd come back she'd ask the same question . . . and he'd give her the same answer.

Newsey is being held against Cat. Everytime Cat doesn't obey an order or does something she's not supposed to, Newsey is hurt. So most of the time Cat does what she's told, but there's a rare occasion when she rebels without thinking, and that's when Newsey pays the price.

Kaliana has been near miscarriage three times. Somehow she's managed to pull through, keeping the baby safe. I think Gale would probably be helping when he can. He never knew about my baby when I was pregnant but I know he knows about pregnancy just as much as he knows about medicine. I just hope Zeb and her's child will be OK.

What's been happening to Maurice. . . it's awful. Lynn has done to him exactly what Snow did to Finnick when he won the games. Since Maurice has taken after his father and is practically his carbon copy, Lynn has decided to sell him to the people of the Capitol. The whole thought makes me cry all over again. No-one should be touching him but me. It's so painful to think about.

Now here I sit, wallowing in the dirt and the rain, starting to cry all over again. I can't do this on my own. I just can't. I can't handle it all on my own. Sure, Johanna's here but now that I realize she's part of the cult I know she's expecting greatness of me. She's right, she can't just change her whole belief system no matter what obstacles- no matter how final those obstacles may be-and I don't expect her to.

There's no question that I'm going to catch pneumonia if I stay sitting here any longer but I can't seem to get myself to move. I'm frozen on the spot, like an ice sculpture, soaked in water and dripping wet.

"Get up Primrose," I whisper to myself. I know it's hopeless. I'm too stiff and cold to move. Why does life have to be such a pain? What have I done to deserve this? A sobbing idiot snievelling in the dirt, feeling sorry for myself. I don't know what to do anymore. Kwary was my last hope and she gave me nothing. She did nothing for me but dig up old memories that I hoped to keep buried.

"Why did you leave me Zeb?" I sob. "I can't do this on my own."

I can't tell what's tears or what's the rain anymore. They're all just mixing together now. I look down at my shoes with blurry eyes and feel like screaming. Johanna gave me these shoes and I can't stand the thought of her at the moment. I rip the stupid pumps off my feet and hurl them into the water.

The stones on the ground dig into my numbing feet but I don't care. Let me catch pneumonia, let me die, I don't care anymore. This is me, Primrose Mellark, giving up.

"Primrose Mellark has given up!" I scream over the edge of the bridge, my voice echoing into the distance.

"No she hasn't," That voice says behind me again.

I whirl round once more to be face to face with nothing. I rap my knuckles against my forehead and grunt. My mind is falling apart. I close my eyes and moan. I think hearing things is one of the first signs of madness.

"Correction, talking to yourself is one of the first signs of madness," The voice corrects.

My eyes fly open and I almost collapse at what stands before me.

It's Zeb.

**A/N: WHAT'S HAPPENING! :O**

**Vitrual cupcakes go to reviewers!**


	4. Tales of the Supernatural

**A/N: I can tell you are all wondering what's happening now so I'm not going to waste anytime. Here you go!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Hunger Games :D**

Chapter Four- Tales of the Supernatural

"Oh my god I've lost it," I whisper. "I've lost my nut."

Zeb is standing on the dam wall oppisote me. He's clad out in a sterile white shirt and skinny jeans and seems to be glowing-that explains the weird moonlight glow with no moon out-with a halo sitting on the side of his head like a hat and is grinning at me in amusement.

"Shit," I mutter. "I fell over the edge of the dam didn't I? I'm really dead and you've come to take me!"

Zeb barks out a laugh and I glare.

"Not exactly Prim," he grins.

"Oh right then, I'm more crazy than I thought!" I exclaim. I turn back round to look out at the water and plant my hands onto the ledge. Perfect, I can not only hear him now, but I can see him too! My mind is definetly gone. I'm looking at mad in the rear view mirror.

White converse sneakers land beside my hands with a feather like touch. I look up and see that my mind's image of Zeb is still there. I rest my cheek on the back of my hand and groan. "So," I drawl out as if I'm drunk. "How have you been _Zeb_?" Might as well see what my mind illusions has to say.

"Well, I'm _dead_," Zeb replies. "Not something you can say happens every day."

"No, it isn't," I mumble.

"And yet I'm back right now," Zeb muses. "It's strange."

"Your not back," I laugh. "You, my friend, are a frigment of my imagination. I'm going crazy."

"I wouldn't say crazy. . ."

"Oh yes, I'm standing on a dam in District 7, in a dark black mourning dress, in my bare feet, soaked in water and dirt, talking to my dead best friend who's probably just a sign of my madness," I babble. "If anyone walked past right now they'd see me talking to myself like a prattling idiot."

"Well, yes, but not for the reasons you'd think," Zeb says.

I look up at him again and laugh. That's when I realize the glow he's setting off is warming me up. I don't feel cold or wet anymore. I look down at myself and realize I'm dry as a bone.

"What the hell. . . ?" I trail off in confusion.

"Look Prim, your not going crazy. I'm back! Ta-Da!" Zeb tries to explain with a jazz hands gesutre.

I snort in amusement. "Yeah, sure, course your back. I bet I could poke you right now if I wanted to!"

"Well, no," Zeb answers. "You couldn't."

"Really?" I mock gasp. "Why ever not?"

"Because I'm dead!" Zeb sighs, clearly exasperated. "I knew this was going to be hard. . ."

"Look Zeb, your in my head, your telling me what I want to hear. It's not hard, I've been suffering these hallucanations ever since you died. I've just never spoken to them before so I've obviously lost the plot!"

"Prim . . . are you drunk?" Zeb asks.

I burst out laughing at that. "No, I'm not drunk!" I chuckle. "I'm just losing my mind!" My arm slips on the ledge and I fall sideways, self conciously reaching out to grab Zeb's leg, only to have my hand grasp nothing, as if trying to catch air, making myself inevitablely land on the ground, into the dirt again. I don't get dirty though, Zeb's glow is still covering me. I groan and get to my feet again. "Goddamn it," I mutter.

Zeb turns round on the dam ledge and looks down at me. "I told you you couldn't touch me," he points out.

"I know I can't touch you!" I snap. "Your in my head!"

"Why in the world would I be in your head anyway?"

"Because I'm going mad!" I reply angrily. "I can't do this on my own! You left me Zeb! You left me on my own! The stupid cancer took you from me and I'm all on my own! I can't do this on my own! Johanna is a member of the Mells' Cult! I don't even have her support anymore! She somehow thinks that the Mells Theory can still work even when your gone!"

I'm pacing up and down the road now. Zeb's body pivots on the spot to enable him to keep his eyes on me as I continue to rant.

"I'm all by myself because you left me! Trying to figure out how I'm going to win this god awful war!" I stop dead and turn to face him again. Poiting a finger accusionly at him I continue, "You didn't even try to hold on for me! Johanna punched the crap out of your chest for hours and blew air into your lungs while I kept my head over your heart, convinced you'd come back but you didn't!"

I run my hand through my now completely loose hair and lean against the ledge again, resting my chin in both my hands.

"Why is my mind tormenting me like this?" I mumble. "What have I done?"

"It's not your mind Prim," Zeb sighs. "I'm back."

I laugh breathily and look up at him. Even my hallucination is so vivid. The scruffy, ginger hair, the twinkling eyes, the intense look he always gives when he's serious, so clear it's scary.

"You certainly look like your back," I chuckle, reaching out to poke him, then remembering that I can't. "My imagination sometimes freaks me out."

"Why can't you just believe I'm back?" Zeb sighs, staring out at the water again.

"Because your dead Zeb," I answer. "It's that simple. Your dead."

"Ok, hold on," Zeb says, crouching down to be at my eyelevel. "How about we speak hypathetically?"

"Go on then," I mumble.

"Ok, hypathetically, what would you do if I was back?" He asks.

"Well, hypathetically, I'd ask what and how the hell you're back and why," I answer honestly.

"The answer to that would be simple: Kwary brought me back," Zeb says. "For the theory."

"HA! What a laugh! For the theory!" I snort. "Sure, that sounds likely."

"It's the truth," Zeb sighs.

"Hypatheically," I add.

"Hypatheically," Zeb says, rolling his eyes. "Meladina had the power to see the dead and bring them back to comfort the dying. Kwary, if she put her mind to it, could bring the dead back. But it's only for those with unfinished buisness."

"Unfinised buisness," I repeat. "What's your buisness then Zeb?"

"Winning the war."

Oh yeah, that makes sense. For a hypatheical explanation, this one is very detailed and it does sort of ring true. But we're talking hypatheically, right?

"Of course," I answer as if it's obvious. "So, _hypatheically,_ are you like an angel then?"

"Nah," Zeb replies, dropping down to sit on the ledge with his legs over the edge. "Well, I should be, but I don't have my wings yet."

"So, how would you get your wings?" I can't help but laugh after asking the question. It sounds so stupid! Like something from _It's a Wonderful Life._

"It is like_ It's a Wonderful Life_," Zeb says, making me jump in alarm. "Everytime a bell rings, an angel gets it's wings. I can't get mine until I help you end the war."

"Uh. . .OK, I think," I frown. "Can you stop doing that?"

"What?" Zeb frowns.

"Reading my mind like that," I sigh. "It's irritating."

"I can't help it," Zeb shrugs. "You think something, I hear it."

"Well, at least try and not listen," I sigh. "Don't turn Edward Cullen on me."

"Believe me, I'm as far from Edward Cullen as you can get," Zeb assures with a laugh.

"Good," I reply with a nod. I climb onto the ledge too and sit down with crossed legs.

A silence falls upon us both. Ok, if he is a hallucination I'd like him to disappear soon. It's starting to get irritating. Even when speaking hypatheically it's annoying.

"It just proves that even when you die you can't escape the war," Zeb mutters.

"Would you rather be dead?" I ask, glancing at him.

"Yes," Zeb replies. "And no, I guess."

"How so?"

"I want to be dead, but then I don't. I want to escape the hardship of war, I want to be with my family, and yet I know I can't," He explains.

"Did. . . did you see your family?" I ask him gently.

"Yes, I did," Zeb answers with a ghost of a smile. "I got to be with my parents. I got to see them healthy for once. I hugged Carrie, got to tell her that I'm sorry. She's with Kaleb, she's happy. They all are."

"So why would you choose to come back here?"

"I didn't choose. Kwary dragged me back," Zeb sighs, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I can't return until we've won."

"What happens if we don't?"

"Then I'm trapped."

Another silence falls between us again. I blow a raspberry to try and ease the awkwardness. It doesn't work. I watch the water as it laps up beside the dam and bounces back again. I fixate on this one thing, trying my best not to think about anything Zeb could read. Like what's happening Kaliana. Or their child. But this ultimately makes me think about it.

"What's happening Kaliana Primrose?" Zeb asks after a while of deafening silence. By his tone of voice I know the question hasn't arisen because of my thoughts, it's because he just wants to know.

"She's OK," I lie, my voice hitching in pitch at the obvious lie.

"Don't lie to me Primrose. What's happened Kaliana?"

I sigh. Why can't anyone ever just buy into my lies?

"Since she's been taken to the Capitol, she's been close to three miscarriages," I explain in monotone. "I'm sorry. But the baby's OK! I promise!"

"But for how long. . ."

"I don't think Lynn wants to kill the baby Zeb," I say. "There has been plenty of chances to give Kaliana a full blown miscarriage but they haven't done it."

Zeb's hand clenches into fist and loosens out again. "What would they need a baby for?"

"I don't know Zeb," I shrug sadly. "Lynn knows I have Cat's updater. If she had anything major planned then she wouldn't send it out to her UCCAs. I think. . .if she didn't want your child for anything then she would have had Kaliana suffer a miscarriage long ago."

His hand clenches again, along with this jaw this time, and I suddenly feel ultimately bad for him. Wait, what? No, this is hypatheical right? This is just me having some friendly banter with an allusion of Zeb from my nutjob mind.

"I do have a job down here," Zeb suddenly says.

"Oh?" I reply, breaking my gaze of the water to look at him.

"I have to give you an epiphany of some sort," he says.

"And how do you suppose your going to do that?" I ask him.

"I have to take you into past Hunger Games."

"Ha, that's hilarious," I laugh.

"It's no joke," Zeb answers.

"If you think I'm going anywhere near any Hunger Games again you can think again," I chuckle.

"You think I want to go back?" Zeb says angrily. "I have to do this. Apparently it'll help us win the war if you have this ephiany."

I try to laugh again but there's something in his tone of voice that makes me know he's serious. This is Zeb. He has come back because he has to win this war with me. He isn't in my head. He's here. With me.

He hasn't left me.

Before I can react to this realization I notice Zeb himself is waving his hand round my head in a bizarre fashion.

"Zeb, what are you-"

Before I can finish the sentence I'm shrouded in a glittering white light. It blinds my vision momentarily and I almost scream as the ground beneath me vanishes. It has only reached my throat though when I realize I'm now standing on a podium.

In a tribute outfit.

With 23 other people.

In a circle.

With a cornucopia in the middle.

I'm in The Hunger Games.

Again.

**A/N: So . . . yeah . . . Zeb's a ghost/angel :D**

**Reviewers get virtual cupcakes! :D**


	5. 31-Technology Suite

**A/N: LOL, I can tell from the reviews that some of you are confused so here's the next chapter. Don't worry, Zeb explains everything here!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games**

Chapter Five- 31-Technology Suite

My heart almost bursts in a panic. It isn't my Hunger Games. I know that much. It's not the forest. It's . . . a school hall? Yes, it's a high school setting. There's a massive stage to my right with a blood red curtain drawn across to conceal whatever's on the stage. The floor is wooden panelled and has a layer of age old dust coating it. To my left, on the far wall, there's a set of double doors with a sign saying 'Supply Closet' on it. I don't think there's soccer balls or basketball hoops of any sort in there.

As soon as the gong goes I'm away on instinct, running as fast as I can in the oppisote direction, heading towards the glass doors beside the small door that probably leads up onto the stage and burst through them. I look behind myself to make sure that no-one's following me. As the doors swing shut I peer through the glass and notice that almost every single person is fighting for supplies. Good, give me some time to get away and plan a way to wring Zeb's transparent neck in.

I look to my left and see a short corrdior that leads to a cloak room. On my left there's another set of double doors that lead outside. Considering my options momentarily I go on impulse and run through the double doors. Thinking I was running right outside, I bang into a brick wall. I grip my nose in pain as it took most of the blow and I press my palm against my forehead. I turn left and run straight ahead to a shelter that sits straight ahead beside two different open directions with a sigh saying, 'Technology Suite.' I still go forward to the end of shelter, where yet _another_ set of double doors sit.

Inside the Technology suite there's one door straight across from me and one to my right, round a short corner. Going into the one right ahead of me would be too obvious so I turn the corner and go through the other door. I'm in a workshop of some sort. Saw dust and wooden tables are spaced randomly in the room. Counters line the walls bar the right hand one, where three different machines sit. The type that a normal student could use to drill a hole into some wood, but a tribute could use to drill through their opponents head. The back wall has a long window that stops when it meets another door that leads into a classroom. Probably where the students would do their write ups for their pratical work. I run through the workshop and enter the classroom. It's made up of grey plastic desks, high stools, one computer, a window to my right and a cabinet and sink to my far left.

I jump onto a desk and take a moment to do a damage assessment. No, I got out fast enough, I'm not even stratched. I examine my tribute outfit and note that it's a school uniform. White blouse fitted to my frame, a green and white striped tie that's done up short, a bottle green skirt that ends half way down my thighs and a matching coloured jumper tied round my waist, socks of the same green colour, pulled up to my knees and red sneakers. I'm running my hands through my hair when I notice it.

My hair's brown.

I leap off the desk in shock and grab a handful of my hair, bringing it round to my eyeline. Brown! Why's my hair brown?! How is that even possible?!

"It, Primrose, is possible because you are in the body of the District 12 girl tribute for the 31st Hunger Games," Zeb explains, making me jump out of my skin in shock. He's standing on the counter beside the sink, looking down on me. "Her name's Amelia. She was from the Seam, hence the dark hair."

"What the hell Zeb!?" I hiss, startled by the fact that my voice isn't _my_ voice. It's too high to be mine. "Why am I here?!"

"You need to have an epiphany by being in the bodies of other District 12 tributes from various different Hunger Games," Zeb continues to explain.

"Why a high school?!" I ask. I never liked the school back in the seam, and now I have to fight for my life in one? I hate irony.

"The head gamemaker for this year was a power crazed woman who was desperate for lots of blood, gore, depression, angst and annoyance," Zeb answers.

"And . . . ?" I frown.

"And she loved High School dramas," Zeb shrugs.

I consider this for a moment before asking, "Who wins this year?"

"A girl called Wiress," Zeb answers. "She's from District 3."

"I know Wiress," I murmer. "She'll die in the third Quater Quell."

Zeb doesn't respond, he just stares me down for moment, as if waiting for me to realize something. Then it comes to me.

"Does that mean I'm going to die?!" I practically shriek.

"Yeah, kinda," Zeb replies. "It's part of the epiphany therapy. You'll feel the pain of the death and when you finally black out you'll come to in another Hunger Games, in another District 12 tribute."

"I'm going to feel death?" I whimper in fear, suddenly feeling like a little girl again.

"Yeah, I'm sorry Prim," Zeb sighs, rubbing his eyes in exasperation.

I swallow my fear and stand up taller. "When?"

"Tomorrow."

"How?"

"District 6 will stab you to death with a ruler."

"A _ruler_?!" I exclaim in shock.

"Yes, the cornucopia is full of school supplies," Zeb explains. "You have to figure out how to use it as a weapon yourself."

"Why District 6?"

"Because your going to run into her. She'll panic and lash out on you. She won't mean to kill you. But she does," Zeb continues to explain.

"I see," I frown.

"Although, what's gotten me thinking is that in random Hunger Games the District 12 girls seemed to have more knowledge than they should. What weapons were what, how to use alien items, and they welcomed death when it came. But there was a weird catch where they always spoke to themselves. It was known as 'District 12 Fever.'"

"You think that was me in their bodies?" I ask.

"It's the only explanation I can think of," Zeb shrugs. "No-one but you can see me so it's most likely it was you talking to me."

"I see," I muse, stroking my chin in deep thought. "And you tell me what's what then?"

"Yes," Zeb answers. A grin then spreads across his face.

"What?" I ask in confusion.

"Like the fact there's a tribute coming right now."

Just as he spoke a tribute burst into the workshop. I squeak and drop out of view of the window. I crawl along the blue carpeted floor and hide under the counter Zeb's standing on.

His head comes into view as he hangs it over the edge to look at me. "Don't worry Prim, he doesn't come in here. He doesn't make it that far," he assures me.

"What do you mean?!" I hiss in a hushed voice.

"A career will come and kill him. _That's _when you'll need to hide," Zeb explains.

"Where do I go then?" I ask.

"In the cabinet," He answers. "Now get out from under there." I crawl out again and peek out the window. I watch the tribute run his finger along some sawdust and inspect it. He's not even in there a minute before a girl runs in too. Her blonde hair reaches the small of her back and her baby blue eyes feign innocence. The most deceitful disguise for a career. "There you are," she drawls out as the boy, who's copper hair falls over his eyes in a side fringe, whips around in shock to face her. "For a second there I thought you didn't want to die."

"That's the girl from District 4, her name's Hannah," Zeb murmers in my ear. "That boy there, his name is Jarold, is from District 9. Jarold approached Hannah in the training center and asked her to kill him as soon as the games started. He wanted to die."

"Suicide," I whisper.

"Exactly," Zeb confirms. "She promised him that she'd do it as painlessly as possible but . . ."

"The Careers lie," I finish for him.

Thinking she's going to kill him nicely, Jarold sighs and holds his arms out. "I just didn't want the other tributes to see me give in so easily," he says.

"Of course," Hannah replies with faux understandment.

"Just do it quick OK?" Jarold asks.

"Sure," Hannah replies.

Hannah then walked up to Jarold and punched him square in the jaw. Jarold cups his jaw in shock but doesn't have to time to react as Hannah grabs him by the hair and drags him over to a drill at the end of the line of machines along the wall. Ripping the safety cover off she plants Jarold's head under it and kicks a red button that sits underneath the drill. The room is filled with a mechanical whirring as Hannah uses one hand to hold Jarold's head in place while using the other to turn the wheel on the side of the drill, that lowers the spinning piece of metal closer and closer to Jarold's temple.

"Oh my god!" I squeak, spinning round and pressing my back against the wall. I press my hands against my mouth to stop myself from screaming as I hear Jarold himself scream, probably as the drill starts to break through his skin. Zeb sits beside me, hugging his knees with his eyes calmly closed, as if trying to block everything out. The screaming continues for about a minute until Zeb opens his eyes and breathes out. "You need to get into the cabinet now," he tells me. I nod and go over to the blue cabinet. Once I've opened the door I realize it's separated into 5 different selves. I clambour into the third one up, lying on my side and wrapping my arms round my legs, my knees bumping against my chin. Zeb does the same with the shelf above me.

"So, what happens now?" I ask, trying in vain to ignore the continued screaming from poor Jarold. "Does Hannah not look in the cabinet? Bit of a bonehead move for a career."

"Oh, she does look in here," Zeb replies casually. "That's when you kick her in the face."

"What?!" I exclaim.

"Hannah will open up the cabinet and you'll whip your leg out and kick her in the face," Zeb explains. "It'll only distract her for a moment, and that's when you jump out and run like hell."

"Uh. . . OK, I think I've got it," I reply. Inside I'm terrified. The sudden exploding cannons don't help either. Jarold is dead and the bloodbath has ended. How can I kick a career in the face? I don't have the guts for that.

"But does Amelia have the guts for it?" Zeb questions.

"What did I tell you?!" I snap. "Stop reading my thoughts!"

"And what did I tell you? I can't!" Zeb fires back.

I sigh and roll my eyes. "When does Hannah come? My legs are falling asleep in this postion."

Before Zeb can even answer, a door opens and Hannah's earshattering cackle is all that can be heard as she enters the classroom. My heartbeat speeds up, pounding so hard I start to wonder if that's maybe why Hannah checks the cabinet because she could hear it.

"She's coming," Zeb breathes.

**A/N: OK, so basically the arena is modelled after my school. I always thought it'd be a cool idea if the arena was ever a high school :)**

**Let's all take a moment of silence for poor Jarold and his tragic end. Fooled by a baby eyed career. Poor guy. **

**Reviewers get cupcakes!**


	6. 31- Art Room

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm back! Here's chapter six! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games! **

Chapter Six- 31- Art Room

As soon as he finishes the sentence the cabinet door is flung open. I gasp and whip my leg out like Zeb told me, hitting her across the head with my foot. I'm immediately out of the cabinet as she hits the floor, and am running out of the classroom.

As I'm running across the workshop I freeze at the sight of Jarold's body. His head is still skwered by the drill, his body hanging limpy over the end. Blood is splattered everywhere. His eyes are locked open and are staring at me, his mouth hanging open as if about to say something.

"PRIM!" Zeb shouts. "BEHIND YOU!"

Without even bothering to look round I grab a file that's sitting on one of the tables and whirl round, hitting Hannah in the same temple I kicked, with it and I'm out the door before she has recovered.

I run out of the technology suite and run back through the doors that are beside the hall in which the cornucopia is located. I run down the short corridor to the cloakroom, I turn left and skid a bit round the corner. Ahead of me is another set of doors, only they're open, and lead down a long corridor that's lined with multiple bullitin boards and classroom doors.

Hannah bursts through the door I came through, pure rage on her face, blood trickling down the side of her head. She's pissed. And I mean _pissed._

I immediately take off down the long corridor, my breath coming out in short, rugged, breaths. Zeb is running alongside me, only he doesn't show exhaustion or extertion. He goes as if he's running on air.

"How do I get out of this one?!" I ask him.

"Once you pass the R.E room she'll get sidetracked by the District 3 male tribute," Zeb explains. "So just keep running!"

I do as he says and keep running. I'm fast, I'll admit that, but compared to a highly experienced Career from District 4 . . . we better pass the R.E room soon. Zeb keeps shouting encouragements to me, as if herding his herd of cows. "I'm not one of your cattle Zeb!" I snap as my feet pound against the squeaky floors. "It's easy for you! Your practically flying!"

"Now Prim, there's no need to shout-"

"I'M GOING TO GET YOU LITTLE MISS BLEEDING HEART!" Hannah screams.

"Before you ask, I'll explain later," Zeb says. "There's the R.E room! Get a bit further ahead!"

I run past a red door and skid to a stop a bit further ahead. I spin round and jump a bit when I see Hannah barelling towards me in blind fury. My heart pumps adrenalin round my body and my blood runs cold in fear. Just as Hannah reaches the R.E room, the District 3 male jumps out from the R.E room with a compass in his left hand. He knocks Hannah to the floor and sticks the sharp point of the compass into her shoulder. She roars in pain and grabs his shoulders in a vice like grip, flipping him over expertly.

"Go Prim," Zeb murmers in my ear. "Don't watch."

For half a millisecond that feels like a thousand years I watch Hannah and Wiress' district countepart grapple before I spin on my heel and run to the end of the corridor. At the top, there's a one way corridor that goes round the school office clockwise. I turn left up the right way and rush up to the top. This school is like a maze! To my left there's a set of double doors painted red. I peer through the small windows at the top and notice another set of double doors about six steps away from this one. Between that is a line of coat hooks. In front of me is another classroom, then beside that is yet another set of double doors that leads into an art room.

Deciding once again to go on instinct, I burst into the art room. The tables are the same as that of the Technology suite's only instead of being grey the colours range from red to blue to yellow. The walls were covered in drawings and paintings. Sluptures lined shelves that sat along the walls. A cloakroom is to my left and further up is a white board and teacher's desk. I approach the desk with care and look at the mess scattered across it. Wait, I never thought to check if there was any tributes in here!

"There isn't, don't worry," Zeb says from behind me. I turn round and glare at him.

"Will you cut it out?" I snap.

"Sorry, I can't. As I've said for what? The third time now?" Zeb replies with a slight frown.

I immediately feel bad for snapping. "Sorry," I sigh.

"No, don't worry about it. Believe me, if I had a choice I wouldn't be reading your mind," Zeb assures.

"I know," I answer.

Zeb nods and waves his hand vaguely around the room. "This is the art room," he says.

"Oh really?" I ask sarcastically.

"Yes," Zeb replies. My eyes roll and my mind flashes back to the chariot rides before the games. _You ever heard of sarcasm?_

"You really need to explain the sarcasm thing to me," Zeb says, interuppting my thoughts. He's no longer standing infront of me, he's ontop of the desk infront of me with his legs crossed.

"Why? You do it a lot yourself," I reply. As true as the words are, I don't think he realizes half the time what he's saying sarcastically. I think for a moment and then frown in confusion. "Little Miss Bleeding heart?"

"Yes," Zeb nods, his facial features showing relief that I finally asked.

"Why would Hannah call her that?" I ask, leaning against the teacher's desk.

"Amelia had a secret relationsip with the District 2 male tribute, Oswald," Zeb explains. "The other careers found out and shunned Oswald out of the pack and want to kill Amelia at the next chance they've got."

I'm stunned into silence for a moment before shaking it off and asking, "A career?"

"I know right?" Zeb replies. "And apparently Oswald is a direct ancestor of Cato Haldey."

"Cato?" I repeat with a drop of venom in my tone. "From my parent's Games?"

"Yeah," Zeb confirms, his eyes looking round the room but his body staying facing me.

"Is he as brutal as Cato was?" I ask.

"No," Zeb answers, his gaze coming back to me. "He's a softie. Never attended the Career academy. One thing was for certain though. He loves Amelia as much as I love Kaliana. As much as you love Maurice. As much as Cat loves Newsey. As much as Katniss loves Peeta. . . and as much as Cato loved Clove."

My eyes widen in shock and my mouth drops open. "Cato loved Clove?" I ask in shock.

"Yeah. Careers are capable of love you know."

"How do you know?"

"You learn a lot of things when your dead," Zeb says, looking off again into the distance. "You meet a lot of people who you thought you'd never see again."

"Like who? Who did you see?"

"Quite a lot of people actually."

"Well, tell me," I insist.

"My family obviously. Carrie's friend Kaleb. But there was also tributes. . . Zara, Harrie, Meladina, Reyna, Jamica, Waness, Nana, Teggs, Hamala, Verma, Annabelle, Lata and Sal, Ophelia . . . Janice, the girl from District 6 who I shot down from the tree, and Lorena, the girl from 9 who I shot in the eye at the cornucopia. . ."

"Wh-what did they have to say?" I ask tenderly.

"Zara just hugged me and told me she was so sorry that this happened. Meladina and her are good friends now. She felt she owed Meladina after she looked after her so well when she was dying," Zeb explains. I nod in understandment. "Harrie was upset. She told me she didn't you or me to die at all. I told her it was OK and it was probably for the best because I'm no longer suffering from Cancer. Meladina was quite cheerful. She introduced me to her mom and told me about life up in heaven and how much she loved being free. Reyna was full of life. She attacked me in a hug as soon as she spotted me. She heard of Kaliana's pregnancy and said she's been watching over us, making sure we were OK. She's still looking after us. Jamica tried to be strong at first . . . then she broke down and told me she was sorry again and again . . ."

"For what she did in the Games?" I ask, picking a pencil off of the desk and twirling it between my fingers.

"Yeah," Zeb answers. "Waness, Nana, Verma and Hamala apologized for helping to kidnap me with the dart soap. Teggs wanted to keep her distance because she thought I'd hate her for what she did."

"Did you?" I ask.

"I thought I did," Zeb admits. "But then I saw Carrie having a conversation with her as if they were age old buddies."

"Why would she do that?" I frown.

"I asked her that. . .she said that Teggs didn't have a choice. She wanted to survive just as much as anyone else. One less person is one step closer. She also said she didn't have room to judge. She did try to kill you after all," Zeb explains.

I shudder at the memory and cross my arms, suddenly feeling cold.

"So I spoke to Teggs. She was nervous at first but I told her I wasn't angry anymore. Carrie was much more happy there than she was back in District 10. Annabelle was a bit hyperactive, as if high on something. It seemed she was putting on a facade of some sort in the Games. When she's dead . . . she's . . . I dunno . . . welcoming, cheerful, and happy."

A cheerful Annabelle? I can't really imagine it.

"Lata's living happily with her grandmother, who died a couple weeks after the Games. Don't worry, she's not a cannibal anymore. It was a survival nessciately. I exchanged some small talk with Sal but she isn't the most welcoming of people."

"Your telling me," I mutter, remembering Sal's insults to my family. "What about Ophelia?"

A frown forms on Zeb's face, as if mulling over what to say carefully. "Ophelia. . . still. . . isn't your number one fan."

"As I expected. How did Janice react?"

"She was a bit bothered at first but Jamica took full responsiblity for her death. Janice and I both had a nice conversation after that."

"What about Lorena?"

"We found common ground. She speared me, I shot her. She understood."

"I see," I reply. We're both silent for a moment. I try and see what's running through Zeb's mind but his face is so unreadable it's almost impossible. I vaguely hear faint shouts and screams of tributes further down the school.

"They're not the only people I met," Zeb suddenly says.

"Oh really?" I ask. "Who else?"

"Some very nice people actually. Tributes, obviously."

"Who?"

"Glimmer, Marvel, Cato, Clove . . . Rue," Zeb says each name respectfully. "You may believe that you don't care about my meeting the careers of your parents Games." Damn it he read my mind again! "But if you met them when they weren't in the Games you'd understand what Games do to them."

"How are they?" I ask.

"They're good. Rue's with Sal," Zeb explains. "They're all happy enough."

At least that's a plus I guess. "Anyone else?"

"Yes, actually," Zeb replies. "People you'd know very well."

"Oh?"

"I met Harold and Rosalie Everdeen," Zeb says. "Your mother's parents?"

"Yeah," I squeak out. "You met my mother's parents?"

"And your father's. Ben and Tess?"

"My father never spoke about his parents," I answer. "They're called Ben and Tess?"

"Yes, they're nice people. Even his mother. Has quite a right hook I have to say," Zeb admits.

"She hit you?"

"Completely my fault," Zeb answers. "I was a tad too sarcastic for her liking apparently."

"You see? Your are sarcastic!" I grin. "What about mom's parents?"

"They're doing well . . . so's Prim."

"My aunite?" I ask in shock.

"Yes," Zeb smiles. "She's very grown up now. So's Grant and Rye."

"Grant and Rye?"

"Grant 'Grain' and Rye Mellark," Zeb elaborates. "Your uncles."

"My . . . uncles?" I vaguely remember Meladina mentioning my uncles when she looked into my family history.

"Yeah, your uncles," Zeb confirms.

I don't know how to respond. Zeb has met the people I have only dreamed of meeting. My grandparents, Prim . . . and now my uncles! I have a million questions I wanna ask but I hold them back because I know we should be getting back to the task at hand.

"So what now?" I ask him.

"Now?" Zeb frowns. "Now you wait."

"For what?"

"5 and 8," Zeb replies. "Boy from 5, Girl from 8."

"How do I escape them?" I question, throwing the pencil behind me.

"I'll sort that out," Zeb answers vaguely.

"How?" I ask.

"Well . . ." Zeb says slowly, jumping onto his feet on his desk and pacing up and down.

"How?" I question, walking round the other side of the table and starting to inspect the many paintings on the walls.

"Well, before Kwary brought me back down here, I was given the knowledge of all the past Hunger Games," Zeb begins to explain. "And, from what I know, 5 and 8 will come in here and, just as 5 almost kills you, 8 proclaims her love for 5."

" . . . What?"

"Yeah, 5 grabs a stanley knife and is a breaths away from stabbing you when 8 runs in and blurts out that she loves him," Zeb answers casually.

"And . . . what has that got to do with you?" I ask in confusion.

"Well, if a deceased person has unfinished buisness then they have a main power as an entity based on the main factor of their life," Zeb explains, using multiple hand gestures ranging from a swipe across his neck indicating death and a flap of the hands indicating wings.

"Really?" I ask out of curiousity. "What's yours then?"

"I . . . uh . . . it's nothing," Zeb mumbles, turning pink in embaressment.

I can't help but grin. "Zeb, what's yours?"

"It doesn't matter," Zeb waves off.

"Oh come on Zeb," I moan, "What is it? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease!"

Zeb struggles for a moment to find words then sighs. "I . . . shoot people to portray emotions."

"What?"

"Look." Zeb opens his hand and a bow and arrow materializes into it. I blink to make sure I saw it right. Yes, the weapon just appeared before my eyes! He loads the bow with the arrow and pulls the string back up to his eyeline, right at me.

"Zeb, what are you . . . ?" Before I can finish the arrow is released and suddenly becomes solid, puncturing right into my upper arm. "OW!" I shout, going to grab it to pull it out, only to realize it's dissolved away into nothing again. I look up at Zeb with a glare, which is only to softened by the sight of my best friend.

My pulse picks up and I feel my cheeks flush in sudden emabrassment of something. I move my hand up to my mouth to stifle a squeak. What the hell? Am I on lemon pills again?

Zeb barks out a laugh. "Nope Prim, your not on lemon pills," he chuckles. "But your having the effects right? Heart beating fast? Pulse picking up? Embaressment?"

"Yeah," I reply, rotating my hand round my mouth in irritation.

"Thought so," Zeb smiles cheerfully.

"What did you do?" I squeak out, my voice as high pitched as a mouse.

"Hold on," Zeb grins, another arrow appearing in his hand and loading his bow again. He shoots another one into the exact same spot. Suddenly, I'm really angry. "Zeb, I'm warning you, tell me what your doing right now!" I scream at him. Another arrow later and I'm biting back tears. "Zeb, please tell me what you've done to me," I whine, my eyes filling up with salt water. One more arrow and I'm back to normal.

"Ok, Zeb," I say, pointing my finger at him. "What the hell was that?"

"I told you. I shoot people to make them feel different emotions," Zeb replies.

"Like. . .you can mke people love each other then?" I ask.

"Well, yeah," Zeb answers.

"Oh my god!" I burst out laughing. "Your like frigging cupid!"

The redness in Zeb's cheeks return which just makes me laugh more. "No I'm not!" he finally manages to blurt out.

"I can see it now!" I gasp, trying to hold back my laughter. "All you need it a white dress, some sandals and your wings and you could be the ultimate love doctor!"

"Oh really?" Zeb chuckled, raising the bow again. "Because if I decided to do so, I could shoot an arrow right through you and make you want to ravage the next person that walks through that door."

"You wouldn't!" I snap.

"Wanna bet?" Zeb replies with a smirk.

"Ok, Ok," I say, raising my hands in surrender. "Just put the bow and arrow away."

Zeb grinned and closed his hand, making the weapon disappear again.

"So how did you end up with the power of emotional cupid?" I ask.

Zeb straightens his halo and frowns at me. "Honestly, I have no idea."

"Really?" I ask.

"Yeah, no clue."

My eyes home in on the glowing halo on his head that he just straightened and I frown. "Isn't that thing supposed to hover above your head or something?"

Zeb's eyes flick upwards, as if trying to locate his halo into his vision. He taps it up his head a bit, causing his hair to flatten out a bit into his eyes, which he blows out of the way. "Nah, only the guardians get those special hovering ones," He shrugs.

I nod and blow a raspberry. "So when do 5 and 8 come?"

"About an hour. After that you should get some sleep. You'll be needing it," Zeb replies.

"Oh yes, because I'm going to die tomorrow," I say. "Need to be prepared for that."

I spend the next hour doing something I never thought I'd do. I paint. It's funny, how it comes so easily. The colours shine and combust and interwine from my brush as if it's not even me doing it, I'm just the vessel holding the brush. I climb onto the counters and paint murals on the walls, getting to every small creak and crevice. I don't plan what I'm painting, I just use random colours and don't concentrate on what the wall will end up like.

I'm so absorbed in what I'm doing that I'm not joking when I say Zeb made me jump out of my skin.

"That's lovely Prim!" he exclaims, his voice loud as if he's shouting in my ear. I shriek and my foot slips into the sink I'm standing beside. Zeb looks down at me and grins. "Oops, sorry," he smiles.

I grumble and clambour out of the sink. "Don't worry about it."

"But really, that's amazing," Zeb says. I look at him curiously for a moment, wondering what his motives are.

"It's nothing," I wave off.

"No Prim, you've really got something here," Zeb says. "A real talent." The words cut me up short. Reminding me of what my father told me. _"Your not talentless Primrose," he says. "You just haven't found what you can do well yet."_

My grip on the paintbrush loosens and I can't help but drop it. It lands on the counter with a clatter. I turn my back on the mural and clear my throat. "Are they coming?" I ask.

"Yes," Zeb answers, noticing my sudden tension but deciding not to push it. He turns and leaps off the counter and flies into the top corner of the ceiling, to the right of the doors. Before I can ask, he says, "For a better aim."

I nod and turn back to face the mural, pretending to still be painting. Mere moments later the doors burst open. I spin round and press my back against the wall, only realizing when it's too late that the paint's wet. The boy from District 5 regards me with complete shock, soon recovering and grabbing a stanely knife off the desk closest to him. He's been fighting recently as his red hair is matted with blood and there's a giant cut on his cheek. Even though I know I'm not going to die I'm still silently panicing. Zeb never said if he's going to hurt me or anything along those lines either.

"Don't come any closer!" 5 shouted, pointing the blade of the knife in front of him.

"You should really put that down or someone's going to get hurt," I reply, my voice only above a whisper.

5 scoffs and tightens his grip on the weapon. "That's kind of the point!" He replies, his voice shakey. I scoot along the wall until my back is no longer against the wet paint and istead pressing against a cold window pane. "Wh-what's you name?" I ask.

5 hesitates before answering. "Will. You?"

"Primro-I mean, _Amelia,_" I reply. Will nods and stands awkwardly for a moment. My eyes flick up to Zeb and notice that he's stuggling with trying to keep his bow and arrow in line and trying to stay up in the corner of the ceiling. His foot suddenly slips and an arrow is sent flying off the bow. My eyes widen as it sticks right into Will's side. My gaze jumps from the arrow punturing Will's side back to Zeb, whose eyes have widened to dinner plates. His eyes meet mine and he whispers one word.

_"Anger."_

Oh no. Double oh no. Double oh no on a pogo stick!

Will's inexperienced, terrified eyes flush into that of anger. Anger at me. I'm still looking at Zeb when a cold hand grasps my neck and pushes me roughly against the window, sliding me up so my feet are dangling a few inches from the counter.

Air just barely gets into my lungs. Like when Carrie was strangling me only much more slower. Will's green eyes are full of enjoyment that you'd think you'd only see in a career's eyes. "I heard," he begins to say. "That Sara got to your darling little Oswald about an hour ago."

Zeb comes up behind Will, hovering in mid air, and mouths, _"Act like you care!"_

I growl and try to stuggle against Will's grasp on me. I may not be Amelia on the inside but the fact that Will would throw that in her face anyway annoys me. "No cannon!" I snap at him.

Will laughs. "Yet! You wanna join him?"

"Go to hell!" I yell back. This only makes Will laugh harder as he drops me to my feet again, only for his hand to be replaced by the stanely knife. "I think out of the two of us your the most likely to be going to hell."I shut my eyes tight as he presses the cold blade of the kinfe harder against my skin. It's not until the first drop of blood has spilled that Distrct 8 bursts in.

When she does Zeb whirs round in shock before quickly recovering and sending another arrow flying. It lodges right into her heart and dissolves away again in a blink of an eye.

"I love you Will!" she blurts out as soon as the arrow has disappeared.

Will whirls round with a frown fixed on his face. "What?" he asks.

"There, I said it!" 8 yells. "I said it! I love you!"

Zeb crawls up onto the counter and comes up behind Will, stabbing an arrow into the boy's backside. Will's face immediately softens and his cheeks flush pink. "I love you too Ionie!" He blurts out. He jumps off the counter and both of them meet half way in a hug.

I spin round and prop the window open. Taking one more glance at the two embracing tributes, I climb out and start to run.

Trying my best to ignore the too cannons that follow.

**A/N: At least you got to learn a bit about Zeb's time in the afterlife. And yeah, he's like CUPID :D**

**Reviewers get cupcakes! ^_^**


	7. 31 - Science Block

**A/N: Hi guys! Thanks to all my reviewers for your continued support! ^-^**

**Last chapter of the 31st Hunger Games :)**

Chapter Seven- 31- Science Block

I tried to escape the arena by running out the very noticably placed school gates but was thrown back by a force field.

My head now feels as if it's been stuffed to the hilt with fluffy socks and my vision swims in non-coherant blurry lines. My back is pressed against the ground which seems to spinning round like the cornucopia did in the Quarter Quell.

"Prim!" Zeb's voice suddenly floats into earshot. "Prim! Are you OK!?"

"Nhnnn," I reply vaguely, my vision finally clearing a bit. Zeb's head slides into view and I reach out blindly to grasp him, only to scold myself for forgetting he's now a ghost.

I bring my arm, which now feels like it weighs a thousand pounds, and shield my eyes from a non-existant sun. I turn my head from side to side, trying to get rid of the fluffy socks.

"Prim, you need to get up!" Zeb insists.

"Why?" I groan.

"I'M GOING TO GET YOU 12!" Hannah screams from afar.

"_That's _why," Zeb answers.

Dragging my heavy body off the ground, I heave myself up and run along the side of the school, past the gates and further on down. I stop at the school entrance, stumbling over a bit due to my accelerating speed and my sudden stop. I turn round and see Hannah still coming after me. I set off running again.

"How do I get out of this one Zeb?" I ask as he appears again by my side.

"You don't," Zeb replies. "She does something stupid that kills herself."

"What?!"

"Just go to the science block OK?" Zeb says, pointing ahead to a small shelter further ahead that matches that of the technology suite, only being defined as different by the sign, 'Science Block.' I follow his instructions and run into the shelter. I burst inside and survey the fours doors that sit in each corner of the square room of the shelter. I decide to go into the one to the top left. The desks and stools sit in uniform rows in the room, with counters lining the perimeter of the room. I jump onto the front desk and leap down the rows to the back. I crawl into the corner of the room and huddle into a fetal positon. Zeb sits on the counter and looks at me.

"What are you doing?" he asks, confused.

"I'm hiding!" I hiss at him. "What is it Hannah does then?"

Zeb's eyes search the room for a moment before he speaks again. "See that barrell over there?" He asks.

I scan the room for a moment before notcing a steel barrell sitting in the corner of the room with a skull and cross bones sign on the front. "Yes," I answer with a nod.

"Well, she'll open that up, thinking it's holding weapons of some sort and . . . well . . . there's acid in there," Zeb explains.

I whistle with a wince, thinking of the awful burning of acid. I've heard that stuff melts your skin. "Do I have to be here when it happens?" I ask.

"Well, yeah," Zeb replies. "I'm sorry but there's no way you could escape anyway. You don't have to watch though."

I jump out of my skin as Hannah bursts into the room, her face dripping with malice. A desk is obsurcing her view of me. "Where are you 12?" she calls out with a grin. Her evil eyes scan the room, looking for me, before they fall upon the grey barrell. "What do we have here?" she practically sings. I slap my hands over my eyes and bite my lip as I hear her pull the lid off. With my hands over my eyes I forget to cover my ears.

Her scream shatters my ear drums and terrifys me to the core. I shut my eyes tight and I try to cover my ears but she's still there. She's still screaming. It's still there. I feel as if I'm about to scream myself until everything else gets blotted out and a voice is singing to me instead. Lulling me into a deep sleep as the career dies a slow and painful death.

_~xXx~_

Somewhere, far, far, away, in a different time altogether, a woman sits in a prison in a far away land surrounded by 12 districts. She waits. She waits a lot. Waits to see what they're doing to her flame haired friend, wondering why her pregnant stomach keeps getting smaller and smaller after each visit to the president. She waits for her over confident blonde ally who has visibly changed in personality and demounr since being here. The woman waits for her daughter's fiancee, hoping that he'll someday return from the lap of luxury that he doesn't want to live through. For the price he pays is massive. She waits for her husband. She waits for him to come back to her. To be who he was when she met him. She wants to love him again. Most of all she waits on her son. Everyday he's taken from her and she wonders whether he'll come back to her. When he does return to her everyday though, she holds him in her arms and sings to him.

A song her father sung to her. A song she used to chase her sister's nightmares away. A song that she would carry with her forever.

And even though she sings to comfort her son she hopes, deep down, that her daughter will hear her too.

_~xXx~_

I wake up with a start. My body flying forward and hitting my head against a wooden desk. I take a moment to get my bearings before climbing to my feet and assessing the situation. The sun is just rising and the sky is a light purple colour. My eyes drag away from the window and fall upon the ground where a black scorch sits.

"That's where she died," Zeb says, appearing by my side. "The hovercraft took her when you were asleep."

"How? We're in a building!" I exclaim.

"The Capitol have their ways," Zeb shrugs.

"So. . .when do I die?" I ask nervously.

"Soon," Zeb replies gravelly.

"How soon?"

"In five minutes you'll come out of the science block and bump into District 6. She'll lash out in fear with her . . . uh . . . ruler," Zeb explains.

"OK," I whisper.

Zeb looks distressed. He rubs his eyes and sighs. "I'm sorry Prim," he says.

"Where am I going to end up after?"

"I don't know," Zeb shrugs. "It's random."

I nod and walk over to the science room door, placing my hand on the cold handle. "I'll be right here with you," Zeb's voice floats into my ear. I suck in a breath and open the door. I walk steadily across to the block's front door and go outside.

The school grounds seem deserted. Silent and desolate. It doesn't seem like I could run into anyone here. The wind whistles errily and sends a shiver down my spine, making me even more terrified.

That's when I see his body.

A voice screams inside my head. It isn't my voice though. It's Amelia's voice. Something is making me feel awful, scared, devasted.

It must be Oswald.

Trying to keep the 'in love' senario up, I run towards him and crouch beside his body. His fair hair is matted in blood because of the giant gash that splits his head open. Will must have been right about Sara. I didn't hear a cannon though. . .

"A-Amy?" A cracked voice croaks.

My eyes flick down to Oswald again and I start as his deep blue eyes bore into mine. _OK, Primrose, in love, in love, in love._

"Yes, Ossie," I say, the nickname coming to the forefront of my mind, very likely coming from a memory of Amelia's. "It's me."

Oswlad laughs lightly, his hand reaching up and cupping my cheek. "I knew we'd find each other again."

I chuckle back, suprised to find my eyes welling up. "Yeah, but I didn't think it would be in these circumstances," I say. Amelia seems to be overwhelming me with her emotions. "You were supposed to win remember?"

Oswlad laughs and I find myself leaning my cheek into his hand. My eyes fall onto the blood that's pooling round his head. "Your bleeding," I whisper.

"Thanks for the heads up," Oswald chuckles. "You always were one for pointing out the obvious."

I laugh and wipe a strand of blood stained hair from his forehead. His spare hand reachs up and takes a bit of my dark hair into his hand, twirling it between his fingers. "Your so beautiful," he whispers. I find myself choking back a sob. "I love you Amelia."

"Don't be getting at that," I whisper back. "Don't be saying goodbye."

"Amy," he says. "Please say it back."

And it isn't me that replies, it's Ameila. "I love you too Ossie."

When his eyes close and the cannon goes off, Amelia's tears stream down my face. I lean over and place a kiss on his lips before standing up to let the hovercraft collect him.

Only to bump right into District 6.

The girl screams and pulls the famous ruler out of nowhere and stabs it deep into my chest. The pain is horrendous. Once pulled out, my hand goes to the gaping hole in my chest only to have it covered in blood. The ruler then stabs into my side, the top breaking my skin and going deep inside, puncturing my rib cage. I gasp and look down at it and scream at the sight of the ruler half way into me. The terrified girl rips it out again, making me screech from the pain, only to have it stabbed into my stomach again. Black spots tear into my vision and everything ends up going blurry.

I hear the girl burst into tears. "I'm so sorry!" she cries out, ripping the ruler out and making a run for it. I grasp at the air infront of me and fall backwards onto ground, landing across Oswald's stomach.

Zeb's face swims into view suddenly. _"It's OK Prim," _his voice rings into my ears. _"I'm here, everything is going to be alright."_

My hands reach out to feel something real, something solid, make me feel everything is going to be OK, but my hands just fall through him. I begin to panic and feel more tears streaming down my face. My hand suddenly falls to my side and I feel something _real._ I grasp onto it for dear life, not caring what it is or why I want to hold it.

And everything slowy fades into darkness.

_~xXx~_

_And that was how Amelia Law of District 12 died. Stabbed to death by a terrfied girl of District 6. She died ontop of the body of her Career lover Oswald Woods. In her dying moments she grasped onto his hand, a final sign of love and affection. Neither were significant. Neither will be remembered. They were just the secret lovers of The 31st Hunger Games. Nobody cared._

_~xXx~_

I land into an alien body. My mind slightly groggy from the darkness that I was acustomed to for so long. White, all I see is white. Wait, that's not white. That's snow.

_'5'_

What's happening?

_'4'_

Where am I?

_'3'_

Did I just die?

_'2'_

Where's Zeb?

_'1'_

I need to get out of here.

**A/N: Uh-uh, where she is now? o.O**

**Cupcakes for reviewers! :D**


	8. 14 - Snowstorm

**A/N: If you like **_**Rise of The Guardians**_** I think you'll like this Games ^_^ If you think I've ripped off Jack Frost and his powers then yeah, whatever, I wanted to do it, so I did.**

**Disclaimer: Hunger Games belongs to Suzanne Collins and Rise of the Guardians belongs to Dreamworks . . . it is Dreamworks right?**

Chapter Eight- 14 - Snowstorm

The gong goes and I run. I run fast. The snow crunches under my feet as I run into a capped forest. I go over on my ankle but don't bother to figure out why as I continue to stumble through the foilage. I see snow fall but I don't feel the cold. I keep running.

I skid to a stop in a clearing to catch my breath. I survey my surroundings and note that this place is a snow land of some sort. A Winter Wonderland if you will. I realize I'm kitted out in a sapphire hoodie with denim skinny jeans and blue sneakers. My hair falls into my eyes and I realize it's white!

"Zeb?" I ask the thin air. "How old am I?!"

"Your 16 Prim," Zeb replies, appearing beside me.

"Then why is my hair white?!" I exclaim, grabbing a handful of my hair and showing him it.

"Well, it's not white _per say,_ more like silver," Zeb begins, ready to launch into explanation mode. "This is the fourteenth annual Hunger Games and for a special spin on this year's arena each district's tibutes got their own special entity power. Your name is Mary Valceray. You, and your district counterpart, are the Winter Entities."

"Winter . . . entities?" I frown, kicking some snow around the ground.

"Yeah!" Zeb grins. "You dropped your staff back there a bit."

"Staff?"

"Your _oh so jammed packed full of power_ staff," Zeb says, putting on a low voice for effect.

A pause. "What?!"

"Ever watched _Rise of the Guardians_?"

"What? No!"

"Look, you can make it snow, turn things to ice, your cold without being cold etc. etc." Zeb explains, tugging a strand of my hair. "Same with your district partner."

"What's his name then?" I ask, slapping his hand off my hair.

"Jack."

I burst out laughing. "Are you serious?!" I gasp. "Jack?! Oh don't tell me his second name is Frost, that would be just too good!"

"No," Zeb chuckles. "He's Jack Harroldson."

"I see," I reply.

"Anyway, the only reason it's snowing is because your scared," Zeb explains.

"Huh?"

"Go back to the Cornucopia and Esmerelda and Jacob will have probably melted it all again," Zeb says. "District 1 have the power of the sun."

"Really?" I ask, suddenly really excited. "How can I use my power?"

"Hold on there Prim," Zeb laughs. "I think you need to get your staff back first."

"OK!" I cheer, running back in the direction I came. My feet crunch against the snow as I go, brushing past the trees and leaping over logs with a renewed grace that I never knew I had.

Coming back to a halt at the edge of the clearing to the Cornucopia, my skin burns in pain. I fall backwards into my cushiony trail of snow and throw my arm over my eyes. My skin feels like it's on fire, and I don't like it one bit.

I slowly remove my arm from my eyes to see the source of the burning. In the middle of the Cornucopia clearing is who I can only think to be Esmerelda. Her hair shining blonde and glowing lumionously as she stands with her arms out-stretched, sending a bright glow everywhere, melting anything soluable around the whole circle of the cornucopia clearing.

"There's no bodies. There was no cannons either!" I suddenly exclaim in realization.

"Everyone's got super powers Prim. They all survived," Zeb replies.

Everyone survived? I never knew that happened before!

"Where's my staff again?" I ask.

"There," Zeb says, pointing a finger across to the middle of the clearing. "You have to confront Esmerelda."

"What?!" I hiss.

"You, Mary Valcery, is known as the bravest 12 tribute in history," Zeb explains.

"Why?"

"Because she confronted a career on day one, not even an hour in. And she survives."

"Really?" I ask.

"Yeah."

"How?"

"Just go out there and . . . be Mary." Zeb picks up a fleck of snow and flicks it at me.

"But I'm not Mary," I retort.

"You are Mary. Mary is you. Just like you were Amelia and Amelia was you."

"So . . . ?"

"You be yourself."

"I . . . uh . . . OK."

I get to my feet again and step forward onto the warm grass of the cornucopia clearing, an immediate frost growing around my foot. The power amazes and terrifies me at the same time. What did the Capitol do to Mary and Jack and all the other tributes to make this happen to them? An image of an operating table flashes into my head and I shudder, moving further into the burning light.

"Esmerelda!" I call out.

Her eyelids snap open to reveal gold eyes, glowing round her pupils like fairydust. A dress made of golden material flows round her ankles and sends off rays of it's own. Her gold tinted face breaks into a scowl, her hair flying behind her shouders and swaying gently in the air. "What do you want 12?" she hisses.

"Enjoying your power?" I observe.

"What's it to you?" she snaps.

"Oh nothing, really," I shrug, stuffing my hands into my pockets. "Just here to get my staff." I stroll over across the clearing, leaving frosty footprints in my wake. At first I think Esmerelda isn't going to try anything but as I'm inches away from the crooked wooden stick and bending over to pick it up a giant sunbeam suddenly zaps out from my side and grasps my wrist. My head whips up to see Esmerelda glowering at me, the sunbeam pouring out of the palm of her hand. "The sun always melts snow in the end Mary Contrary!" she cackles, pulling her hand back, effectively spinning me round and making me land on my back.

Where the hell did Zeb go? How can he leave me in such a postion?!

I scramble to my feet and yank my bound hand backwards, making Esmerelda fly forward and eat dirt. "It's Valcery," I snap. I bring my wrist to the ground and step on the hostal sunbeam, freezing it rock solid, crunching my foot down and twisting, making the iced beam crumble and snap, freeing my wrist.

Esmerelda jumps to her feet and comes running towards me. I quickly grab the wooden stick, no sorry, _staff _and whirl round, whacking her across the cheek with it. Her head flies in the oppisote direction and she cries out in pain, cupping her cheek. When she straightens up again and removes her hand I gape at the stratch of frost that scathes her skin. It leaves a circular patch of white a few inches from the scathe, tainting her golden skin.

She roars at me and tackles me to the ground, sending the staff flying off to the side. Her hands burn like fire, making my skin boil. I writhe in pain, feeling as I'm melting into the ground at her touch. The heat spreads up my arms and engulfs my senses. I remember when I used to beg for heat, wonder why it was so cold in my childhood home. The fire was rarely lit and I never thought to ask why. Now I feel like I want to be cold. I don't want to feel warmth.

A yell is suddenly heard in the distance. I hear feet pounding the earth and then the ground beneath me vibrates momentarily before I feel something cool press against my back. I look to my right and see a figure to the side, pounding their fist into the ground, sending the freezing shockwaves everywhere. The cold makes me feel relieved and I sigh in content, falling into a drift that I don't snap out of until Esmerelda is shoulder barged off of me.

I bolt up into a sitting postion and notcie that the whole Cornucopia clearing has frozen over into an ice rink. "JACOB!" Esmerelda screams. I look to my left and see Esmerelda pinned to the ground while a boy in blue with white scruffy hair pins her to the ground by holding her down with the bottom of _my _staff. No wait, there's my staff a couple of metres away on the ground.

"That's Jack," Zeb says, appearing beside me in a crouching position. "From Mary's district."

"Where the hell were you?!" I hiss.

"I can't interfere," Zeb says solemnly.

"You hit two tributes to make them fall in love last time!" I reply.

"That was different!" Zeb answers, waving his hand dismissivly.

"How so?"

"Can we concentrate on the problem at hand?" Zeb says, pointing to the struggling career and smirking boy. "Get your staff."

I follow his order and crawl over to my wooden stick. I pick it up and momentarily wonder which is the top and which is the bottom.

"Mary!" Jack shouts. "Look out!"

At first I don't react, completely forgetting that I'm Mary, but when I suddenly remember I turn round, coming face to face with a golden burst of solid light. It burns my eyes and I scream, whacking the light source with my staff. The light dims a bit and I turn around again, sighing at the cool ice scene before me again. I run forward and spin back round, curious to see what the source was.

A boy with sun kissed locks of hair stands before me, light beating out of him just like it does for Esmerelda. It must be Jacob. He wears a shirt made of material that matches Esmerelda's dress with skinny jeans like mine only covered in gold dust.

"Saph! Wayne!" He shouts. "We need to deal with some lost tributes!"

"We are not lost!" I protest, pointing the staff at him threatenily. I jerk backwards as a shot of icicles shoots out from the bottom (which at this point I think is really the top) and goes flying out behind me.

Two tributes-very likely Saph and Wayne-come out of the forest, which I notice isn't snow capped or unnaturally hot, and stand on either side of Jacob.

Judging by their clothes, Saph and Wayne are water entities, probably from District 4. The girl, Saph, is wearing a dress in many different shades of blue. The neckline is shaped into that of a sea wave and the skirt flows out at the bottom in likeness of water flowing out of a tap. Tiny water droplets are tattoed below her eyes, giving the impression she's crying. The boy, Wayne, is matching in colour with khaki trousers of light blue and a shirt that is designed to look like waves flowing and splashing with every movement he makes. The same water droplets are tattoed onto the back of his hands. Their hair moves around, untainted by the air or gravity, as if they're underwater.

"What's wrong?" Saph asks, sidestepping a bit to avoid Jacob's heat.

"It looks like Jack and Jackie Frost have wandered into alien territory," Jacob grins, tilting his head to the side.

"My name is Mary!" I snap.

"And I'm . . . Jack, but that's beside the point!" Jack snaps, keeping Esmerelda firmly pinned to the ground with his staff. I exchange a look with my counterpart and can't help liking this kid.

"Well," Saph says, her evil grin chilling me to the bone (pardon the pun), "I guess we'll just have to guide them back home." As she speaks I turn my staff the right way up, just in case

"Only you'll be going back in a box," Jacob says.

"Cuz' you'll be dead!" Esmerelda snaps, attempting to spit up at Jack, only to have it fall back into her eye.

"Yeah, I think they got that," Saph sighs.

I can't help but notice the choice silence of Wayne. He hasn't spoken upon arrival. His sea blue eyes are open and alert but he doesn't speak. Maybe he thinks the gloating before killing that the careers seem to make a habit of is just as stupid and time wasting as everyone else does.

Saph grins at me and twirls her hand fluently around in the air, over time making streams of water appear, flowing without interupption round her hand until a perfect sphere of water is hovering above her palm. I raise an eyebrow out of curiousity as she holds her hand out vertically, the water sphere following the palm of her hand. She then pulls her hand back before pushing it forward again, sending a tsunami of water towards me.

I don't even have time to scream before I shut my eyes and wait for myself to drown. Only it doesn't happen. I peak an eye open and jump at the sight of a frozen torrent of water hanging over my head. At first I'm confused, but then I realize that I'm holding the staff infront of me in a final act of feeble defence. It froze the water over!

. . .

Sweet!

I grab onto the edge of the wave and pull myself up ontop of it. I walk down along the wave (not something you can say everyday) and jump off at the bottom.

Esmerelda has somehow gotten to her feet, now helping the other careers-except Wayne, god that kid's creepy, he's not even trying to help his allies-corner Jack against the Cornucopia. Jack is still fighting though, waving his own staff round, keeping a distance between himself and the careers.

Saph looks pissed, probably because of the fact I froze her wave attack, and is venting it through screaming profanities at my counterpart with another water sphere in her hand. Jacob and Esmerelda both have sunbeams in their hands. Wayne? Well . . . Wayne's there.

"Come any closer and I'll have to use this thing!" Jack threatens. By the way he's looking uncertainly at his staff I know he's about just as oblvious about the stick's powers as I'am.

Doesn't mean we can't pretend though.

"And I've got his back!" I say, making Esmerelda and Saph whip round to face me while Jacob stays facing Jack. I wave my stick in the air to punctuate the point.

"You don't know how to use that," Esmerelda sneers.

"How do you know!" I sneer back.

Saph laughs. "Have you seen yourself handle it?" She chuckles.

"Hey! I can do this!" I protest, waving the stick around, leaving trails of snowflakes following along the top like little pixies.

"Course you can," Jacob laughs, not looking behind himself to face me.

"Was that sarcasm?" I scowl.

_"Look who doesn't recognize sarcasm now!"_ Zeb's voice echoes in my head.

"Shut up Zeb!" I snap.

"What?" Esmerelda and Saph ask at once.

"What?" I repeat, feeling my cheeks heat up in panic.

_"Ooops, sorry Prim!"_

My scowl deepends on my face in anger.

_"What do I do now?"_ I think to myself, hoping he'll hear me.

_"The situation will sort itself out,"_ Zeb says, the shrug obvious in his tone of voice.

"What the hell Zeb! I need help!" I snap.

Saph and Esmerelda stare at me for a moment before Jacob groans. "No, she hasn't got District 12 fever has she?" He moans.

"What?" I frown.

_"District 12 fever Prim, have you been listening to me at all?"_ Zeb sighs.

Oh, _that_ District 12 fever!

_"What other District 12 fever is there Prim?!"_ Zeb asks.

"Oh do shut up!" I snap, immediately cringing and slapping my hand over my mouth. Esmerelda and Saph looked unimpressed.

"Just kill the crazy girl and get it over with," Jacob says, quickly deflecting a hit from Jack and his staff.

Well, at least I know Zeb and I will be going back to a more early Games then at some point. How else would they know about District 12 fever?

"The fever does not mean they're crazy! Those girls were ill!" Jack shouts.

Girls? As in plural?!

"I'am not ill!" I say defensivly. "Or crazy!"

"Oh yes, of course," Esmerelda says slowly, as if speaking to a child. "Your not crazy."

"Stop humouring her Essie," Jacob says, "Just melt the nutjob and get it over with."

"Fine," Esmerelda sighs, summoning up a shapless ball of light.

Zeb did say Mary surivived this right? Yeah, he did, didn't he? How though?

"Mary run!" Jack yells, trying to hit Jacob again. I look at the pale boy and give him a quizzical look. Why does he care so much? There's one thing I can't bring myself to do though and that is to leave him behind.

I stay planted to the spot, my eyes fixated on the ball of light, when Esmerelda and Saph are knocked over by a giant wave of water. As the water reached Jacob and knocked him over Jack froze it over before it could wash him away too. Where did _that_ come from?

As if to answer the question, Wayne lowers his hand and clears his throat, drawing our attention over to him.

"Thought it was about time we got out of here," he says to us both.

_"Jack and Wayne have an alliance,"_ Zeb says in my head.

_"Why?"_ I think.

_"You'll find out soon enough."_

Wayne turns around and starts walking off immediately. I turn and exchange a look with Jack. I notice his adam's apple bob as he gulps before he nods and heads off after Wayne.

What is happening?!

**A/N: OMG what's happening?! How are things going to go in the 14th games for Primrose/Mary? Will Zeb reveal all? And why do Wayne and Jack have an alliance? Stick around to find out!**

**Yes, yes, I know, Rise of the Guardians Jack Frost rip off and all that but meh, don't like it then you don't like it :)**

**Reviewers get cupcakes! ^-^**


	9. 14 - They're not the only ones

**A/N: Ta-da! Here's chapter 9! This chapter explains Jack and Wayne's alliance, a bit about what's been happening in the Capitol back in Primrose's time and a bit of the epiphany is revealed! Enjoy!**

**Fair warning, there is one swear word in this, but when you read it you'll understand it's well within reason.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or Rise of The Guardians (if anyone is still clinging onto the idea that I'm ripping off Jack Frost) :D**

Chapter Nine-14- They're not the only ones

The frozen puddle shows me a reflection of myself. Ice blue eyes bore into me and snowy white skin glows. Silver hair falls over my face in the shape of that of an anime character. This is me now. For now anyway. I don't know when Mary Valceray dies. Zeb never said.

Jack, Wayne and I travelled far into the forest, snow falling in uniform drifts to the ground. We decided to rest by a pond with overhanging trees looming over it. I had put my hand into the water to wash my hands and accidently froze it over. That's how I ended up looking up at my own reflection in the water.

I wonder what Mary's life at home is like. Does she have a family? A boyfriend? All waiting for her to come home?

Jack is currently sitting on the high branch of a tree, swinging his legs back and forth while moving his staff around fluently, creating small snowflakes to dance around in the air in follow of the tip. Wayne still doesn't speak too much, only when nessicary. If Jack and Wayne made an alliance, why is there still so much tension between career and non-career?

Zeb sits beside me in the snow and looks at my reflection too.

"When does she die?" I ask him. He shakes his head at the question and avoids it with another question of his own. "How are you coping Prim?"

"As well as I probably can right now," I reply with a shrug, not bothering to push my primal question to him. "It's a bit awkward."

"What is?" Zeb asks.

"There's a kind of tension between Jack and Wayne," I answer. "And I feel like a third wheel."

Zeb laughs. "Well, you kind of are," he says.

"What?"

"The whole reason they made an alliance is because . . ." He pauses, biting his bottom lip as if mulling over what to say.

"Because . . . ?" I say.

"Cat and Newsey," Zeb states, averting his gaze from mine.

"What about them?"

"Cat and Newsey are open about their love for one and other. They don't care about the laws. They just want to be happy together," Zeb explains. "Some  
people . . . aren't as accepting and open about who cupid decides to shoot in the ass for them."

"Where are you going with this Zeb?" I frown, looking at the spot in the ice where his reflection should be but all to be seen is the trees whistling in the wind behind.

"Wayne and Jack are both gay. Don't get me wrong, they're not homophobic, but they just can't admit to themselves that this is where their lives have went," Zeb explains. "They were able to deny it up until the point they met each other."

"Are . . . you saying they're . . . in love?" I ask.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying," Zeb says.

"I'm starting to feel a reoccuring theme," I say.

Amelia and Oswald. Will and Ionie. Now Jack and Wayne. Is this what the epiphany is about? Love?

"Partly," Zeb answers for me. I bite down the urge to tell him off for reading my thoughts again. "But not all."

"So, I've figured out one part of it then?" I ask. "Love?"

"Hidden Love. Your parents weren't the only ones to be 'star-crossed lovers.' They were just the only public ones. Nearly every single Games had a pivotal moment. A pivotal event," Zeb continues to explain. "Amelia dying ontop of her lover's body for example. Haymitch Abernathy tricking that girl at the very end of the Quarter Quell. Your parents and the nightlock berries. All pivotal, what all made that Games memorable."

"What is this Games' pivotal moment then?" I ask.

"Mary Valcery from District 12 bringing two boys together," Zeb answers. "And to finally admit their love for each other."

"Wh-what?!" I stammer, whipping my head round to look at him. "How can I do that?! They can barely look each other in the freakin' eye! Can't you just hit them with your arrow thing!?"

"No, not this time," Zeb replies with a shrug. "You have to do it."

"Why?!"

_"Because_ _that's what happens!"_ He sighs in exasperation. "Just go and use your amazing pursuaive skills to bring them together!"

"Because that's so easy!" I retort sarcastically.

"Just give it a go _Mary,_" Zeb insists. He looks at me pleadinly.

I think for a moment, thinking up a way to be able to do this. "Zeb, what's Mary's life at home like? Is there anyone back there that she would miss deeply?"

"Yeah," Zeb says, confused by the question. "Her big sister Maybelle mainly. Her parents died of starvation and they both live with their grandfather. They aren't close to their grandfather really so it's mainly Maybelle she'd miss."

"Ok, right," I muse. "I think I can do this."

"Go ahead then," Zeb says. "I can't wait to see this."

"Wait to you see this for acting Zeb," I grin. "Get your Oscar ready."

I crawl round the frozen pond and huddle up beside a tree a couple metres away from the one Jack and Wayne are seaten at.

I need to cry. Pretend I'm missing Maybelle. Show them that they should hold onto whatever they've got before it disappears on them.

Making myself cry though isn't as simple as I first anitcipated though. I try thinking of the positon I'm in but that doesn't work. What can I think of?

I'm suddenly thinking of Maurice. _My_ Maurice. Suffering the same fate as his father just because he looks like him. It's not fair. Nothing's fair. I miss holding him, hugging him, kissing him, telling him I love him . . . I just want to be in his arms again.

My eyes blur.

Kaliana. Oh poor Kaliana. Lynn told her in excruiating detail about Zeb's death. She recorded the reaction and sent it to all the Capitol updater's as if it was some joke to be laughed at.

_~xXx~_

_I was sitting on a bench in District 7 with Johanna when they sent it. The updater beeped in my pocket and flashed red. I pulled it out and opened up the video Lynn sent out._

_The video plays and shows Kaliana sitting in a room, persumably in the Capitol., with her head hanging low and her red hair covering her face. She's not strapped down or tied up or restricted in any way. She's just sitting there. Her stomach is quite round now and the baby bump is very notciable. Lynn then comes into view, flanked by two peacekeepers. _

_"Aah Kaliana, how are you today?" She asked her. Kaliana gave her a glare that could crack a mirror. "Aw, cat got your tongue?" Lynn teased. The glare deepened. "Well, I just thought I should give you my condolences anyway so you don't need to speak to me."_

_Kaliana raised her head. "Condolences?" she asked. Her voice was weak and tired, but her eyes were still strong, showing she still had a spark of fight left in her._

_"Oh, haven't you heard?" Lynn asked, a grin spreading across her face. "About  
your. . . friend?"_

_"Primrose?" Kaliana asked, her eyes widening in worry._

_"Oh, no, no, no," Lynn said, shaking her head. "Your. . .what did Aliya call him? Your_ darling Zeb_?" _

_Kaliana's whole posture straightens up at the sound of his name. "What about him?" she nearly growled._

_"So sad," Lynn mused. "So much talent and life."_

_"What's happened?" Kaliana asked in a panic._

_"I guess it was going to happen at one point," Lynn continued, ignoring Kaliana completely._

_"What has fucking happened?!" Kaliana shouted at her._

_The swearing caught me off just as much as it did Lynn. The President looked shocked for a moment before she shook her head and sighed. "Heart Failure, so sad. The Cancer finally got the better of him."_

_Kaliana held a steely look for a moment, not even blinking. "Your lying," she stated._

_"Tragically, no, I'm not," Lynn shrugged. "Young Zeb is dead."_

_"Your lying," Kaliana repeated._

_"Little Gale has stopped sending Chemotherapy and because of that Zeb's heart gave out," Lynn explained._

_"YOUR LYING!" Kaliana screamed, standing up and kicking the chair over. "HE'S NOT GONE! HE CAN'T BE GONE!" She covered her face with her hands and screamed into them. "NO!" _

_Slowly sinking to the ground she began to sob, her body shaking and her tears pooling on the ground._

_Lynn stood over her and watched on with a grin on her face. "In the basement of the house of Beetra Teatry in District 5, a day after you and your friends were taken into the custody of the Capitol, Zeb Walls died."_

_"He's not dead," Kaliana whispered, the tears seeping through her hands and soaking her skin. _

_"Of something so simple too. A tired heart. So sad. So tragic," Lynn mused._

_"No, no, no," Kaliana whimperd. _

_"In your own home district too," Lynn sighed._

_Kaliana slowly dragged her hands down her face and pushed herself off of the floor. "Your not going to break me," she hissed, her hand resting on her stomach. "Your not going to make me fall apart. I'm going to stay strong for our baby. He would want that. Whether your telling the turth or not, I'am going to stay strong." Her voice wobbled and cracked but she still held her ground._

_Lynn laughed and nudged a Peacekeeper. The man nodded and walked over to Kaliana and grabbed her arms and pinned them behind her back. "I guess your right," Lynn said with an evil grin. "You'll mourn, you'll weep. But what if I took the one thing you have left?"_

_"What are you talking about?" Kaliana hissed, struggling to get out of the Peacekeeper's grip. Lynn's eyes fall upon Kaliana's rounded stomach and chuckled. Kaliana follows her gaze and screams, struggling even harder. Lynn turned round and went to the cell door just as a dozen Capitol Doctors poured in. "Iniciate Project Infant," she told the head Doctor. Kaliana screamed even louder as a syringe was stuck into her arm and she dropped unconcious._

_And the video went to static._

_~xXx~_

A single tear drips down my eye and I sniffle, wiping my nose with the back of my hand. They've done something to the baby. Zeb and Kaliana's baby. And I don't know what. I suddenly worry that Zeb has heard me thinking about that but when I look to see if he has, I notice that he's not even sitting by the pond anymore.

My eyes then move and rest upon Jack and Wayne, who are still not even meeting each other's gaze. Zeb said that they're the oppisote of Cat and Newsey. Cat screamed at me that she had a girlfriend when she was trying to prove to me that she didn't do what she did to Zeb by her own free will. There wasn't a hint of shame or disgust in her voice when she did so. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that Cat is proud of her relationship with Newsey. I hope someday I'll get to meet Newsey. If I can ever figure out this epiphany and end this seeminly endless war.

Mum. Dad. Gale. The thought of them alone brings a waterfall of tears that I can't stop. And once I've started I can't end it. I put my hands over my eyes and take deep breaths that end up being short and wobbly. I gasp for air but it doesn't help as I see mum laughing, dad baking, Gale grinning the grin that he only had on when he had gotten away with something bad. I never realized how much I'd missed them when I was spending all that time in District 7 with Johanna until now. Oh my god I miss them so much!

"Mary? Mary are you alright?" A voice suddenly asks. I keep up the act and let out an 'uncontrollable' sob. "Oh Mary!" I'm suddenly enclosed in cold arms. "Everything's going to be OK." It sounds like Jack. It's probably Jack.

"I miss her so much," I cry, clutching onto his hoodie.

"Miss who?" Jack asks.

"May-Maybelle," I whisper. "My sister. I'm never going to see her again!"

"Hey, you don't know that," Jack replies. "You could win!"

I laugh and wipe a stray tear. "Sure Jack, I'll win!" I reply sarcastically.

"You could do," Jack insists. "Your smart. You did stand up to Saph in the training center."

I open my mouth to ask 'did I?' but then I close it again because that would be stupid.

_"Mary was never known for patience," _Zeb explains in my head. _"Saph pushed her too far on the second day of training and she threw an axe at her head. It missed her ear by inches."_

_"Brave,"_ I think.

_"Mary actually was. That's why she's known as the bravest District 12 tribute. Remember?"_

_"Oh yeah."_

"I also miss Maurice," I say as Mary.

"Who's Maurice?" Jack asks.

_"Prim, what are you doing?"_

"My boyfriend," I whisper. The danger of lying like this is that there probably isn't anyone in District 12 called Maurice. "He's from the Merchant part of town."

I hope Jack isn't a Merchant.

_"You've gotten lucky Prim, Jack's from the Seam,"_ Zeb answers for me.

Well that's a relief.

"I wish I could just see him one more time," I whisper sadly. "Tell him I love him one more time. Show him that no matter what I always will. Now I can't."

Jack sighs and pats my back. "I'm sorry Mary."

"I mean, we barely even held hands! We were both too scared to actknowledge our feelings for each other!" I sob. "Now I wish I did. The oppurtunity has slipped through my hands!"

Through my fuzzy vision and misty eyes I make out Wayne looking at me curiously, a frown of deep thought and confusion engraved on his face.

"I'll never get to show him how I feel," I mumble, quieter this time.

"Maybe he's watching," Jack says.

"Oh yeah and this is how I wanted him to find out!" I snap, shaking myself free of his embrace. "Trapped in the Hunger Games with no way out with stupid frosty powers like Jack friggin' FROST!"

"We're all going through this you know," Jack says, his eyes saddening.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure you all are!" I snap back.

"It's not easy you know," Wayne says, startling us both with his sudden vocal apperance in the conversation.

"Oh and I'm sure you'd know," I hiss acidly. "A career that got reaped? Oh poor diddums got his dream come true!"

I'm walking on a tiperope now, in danger of snapping the string and making myself fall. The only way I can get to them both is to be mean like this though.

"I didn't want to get reaped!" Wayne snaps. "It happens to us all! No-one seemed to have the guts to volunteer this time! Or do you think it's maybe because they knew I didn't want to go in and decided to get rid of me when they could?"

"You wanted to get reaped," I wave off, my tears drying up in the cool air.

"No I didn't!" Wayne replies. "Why would I want to get reaped?!"

"Your from 4!" I reply.

"That doesn't mean we're all bloodthirsty people who want to get reaped every year!" Wayne retorts back.

"You'll survive then," I say. "The careers always do!"

"No I won't!" Wayne sighs. "I can't."

"And why not?" I snap. "No girl back home to go back to? I bet you don't even know what love feels like!"

"Yes I do!" Wayne yells. "You think your having it bad, having left your love back home? I've been shoved into the Games with mine!"

"Oh please!" I faux laugh. "I don't think your in love with Saph!"

"It's not Saph! Lord no!" Wayne replies.

"Who then?" I challenge.

"I can't say."

"Then they don't exist," I conclude.

"You can't just make that assumption!" Wayne protests.

"Watch me! They don't exist! I bet they're like an imaginary friend or something!" I say.

Wayne bursts out laughing. "Your one to talk! You've got District 12 fever! You talk to your imaginary friends all the time!"

"They're not imaginary friends!" I snap.

"Are you trying to say they're real people?" Wayne replies.

"Yes! No! Wait . . . what?"

"Thought so," Wayne says.

"OK, that's it," I sigh, giving up on the sublte attempt. "Just admit it!"

"Admit what?" Wayne frowns, confused.

"You too!" I say, turning and pointing at Jack.

"What?" Jack asks, a frown of his own forming on his face.

"I'm sick of the tension," I moan. "Just . . . you know. . . admit you love each other!"

Both boys look stunned for a moment.

"You're . . . you're derranged!" Jack manages in splutter out unconvincinly.

"Am I?" I ask, turning to look Wayne in the eye.

The look is Wayne's eyes could stop a clock. It's directed right at me and he knows that I know it. In his eyes I can see that he knows that I know he loves Jack.

Jack's eyes ping pong between us both in confusion. He's the one who has no idea what so ever of what's happening.

"There's nothing wrong with it," I say. "Your in the Games now. If there's even the tiniest chance that I'am right, act on it. Before it's too late. No matter what, only one person can survive in the end."

I'm speaking sense. I know I'am. Wayne knows I'am and if Jack knew what was happening, he'd probably know I'am too.

Speaking of Jack, he's just stood up and is walking away into the forest. I silently panic and look back at Wayne, whose still staring at me.

_"Go to him,"_ I mouth at him.

Wayne seems to be mulling it over for a moment while Jack gets further and further away. I've almost given up hope when he jumps to his feet and marches off in the same direction as Jack.

I spin round on the spot and watch as Wayne goes up to Jack, grabs him by the shoulder and spins him round. I squint as they talk silently for a moment to each other before Wayne grabs Jack by his hoodie and kisses him.

"See Zeb, I knew I could do it!" I say truimphantly.

"Oh yeah, _now_ you say you knew you could do it," Zeb says as he comes out of the trees to my right.

"Well, I did," I reply.

"Primrose, I can read your thoughts, remember?"

"Oh shut up!" I snap. "So, are we one step closer?"

"One . . . baby step closer," Zeb concludes.

"Oh yes, that certainly brings my spirit up," I scoff. "You could have just said yes!"

"But then I would have been lying," Zeb shrugs. "You need to discover the point of the love part of the epiphany if you want to take the full step."

"The point of it?"

"Yes, the point of it."

"How?"

"Use that brain that I know you have!"

" . . . "

"You and I both know it's there so _think!"_ Zeb says. "Oh, and you might as well think out loud because I'll hear you anyway."

"Uh . . . OK," I frown. "Love, love, love. . ."

"Yeah, you know, some real _I will always love yoooouu!_ stuff," Zeb helps.

Hey, he's not that bad a singer.

"Thank you," Zeb grins.

"Your . . . welcome?" I reply. Urgh, I'll never get used to this!

"It'll get easier," Zeb shrugs.

"Shut up!" I say, putting my hands over my ears. "La La La La La La LAAAAA!"

_"You know, doing that just means you can't hear me, doesn't mean I can't hear you!"_

I drop my hands and glare at him. "Just let me mull this over for a moment without you listening in!"

"Ok, I'll compromise," Zeb sighs. "I can't not listen in because that's impossible. When you think something it rings in my ears as if you said it out loud, so, I'll go for a while, I'll come back, and you tell me what you've come up with. OK?"

"OK," I mumble.

"OK, good," Zeb says. "I'll see you later." With that, he's gone.

Ok, now I have some room to think.

Love. People loved each other in the games? The way the Capitol got on you'd think my parents were the first star crossed lovers of the Hunger Games. Is this all because these tributes of the Games aren't remembered by the people of my era? Or my parents era? Is that why they thought that my parents were so special being the star-crossed lovers of District 12? They couldn't remember Amelia and Oswald and Will and Ionie from Games 31 or Wayne and Jack from here?

Hold on, no. That's not it. Zeb said that these were pivotal moments. The people knew they were all in love. Did they make my parents famous for the love because they survived? No-one who I've seen so far in love have survived the Games.

"Publicity Prim," Zeb says, once again appearing beside me.

"What?" I ask.

"The Capitol only notices what's big and fancy and glittering. Made public into something big and important. They chose not to remember Amelia or Oswald. Will and Ionie not even considered worth remembering. They probably have completely forgotten Jack and Wayne. Your parents are remembered because they were the next big celebrity couple."

"That's . . . awful," I reply. "All these people. These people who _loved_ each other are forgotten just because they were said not to be worth it?!"

"Yes," Zeb replies. "Amelia and Oswald are forgotten. Will and Ionie are forgotten. Jack and Wayne are forgotten. Kaliana and I will be forgotten."

I see the sadness in his eyes and I know what he's thinking. "Zeb, she's going to be alright."

"You keep saying that," Zeb replies. "And yet there's a _Project Infant_?"

"You heard that?" I whisper.

"Of course I heard it," Zeb mutters. "You should get some sleep Primrose."

"But-"

"You'll be needing it."

I study his face for a moment and I realize he needs some time alone. "OK Zeb."

Lying on my back in the grass, the cool strands of grass tickling my skin, I think of the happy times. The times when I believed everything was OK and that there was nothing corrupted about the world around me. That I was truely safe.

And that is where sleep finds me.

**A/N: I know, I know, fluffly, sad and dramatic rolled into one. I wanted to put a warning for homophobes at the start but I thought that would give Jack and Wayne's alliance away. Plus, if you read the previous fic and stuck around through Cat and Newsey then why wouldn't you root for Jack and Wayne then as well?**

**Anyway, they've discovered one part of the epiphany, what's next? Will Prim/Mary die or survive? What is **_**Project Infant?**_** Stick around to find out ;)**

**Reviewers get cupcakes! :D**


	10. 14 - I can't let them die

**A/N: Here's chapter ten! **

**Yes, District 3's power is inspired by that blonde girl from Twilight's vampire ability thingy. I **_**hate**_** Twilight but I think it would be pretty awesome to have a power like that in real life. Don't you think?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games or the idea for District 3's power. Rights to Suzanne Collins and Stephaine Meyer -_-**

Chapter Ten-14- I can't let them die

_I'm in a white room. The walls are dulled by the dim light coming from the light bulb that hangs in the middle of the celing. I'm crouched in a corner, huddled as far back into the wall as possible._

_A girl sits across from me. Her ginger hair falls in waves down her back and shoulders as she sits crouched in the oppisote corner. She's hunched forward, her fists resting on the ground as she looks at me wildly, a bird watching it's prey._

_"Who are you?" I ask._

_Her emerald eyes catch the light as she tilts her head to the side. I think I catch a glint of white. She's grinning. "I work for Lynn," she states._

_"Who are you?" I demand. _

_"I'am her ally," she simply says. "Her assasian. Her acompliance."_

_"What is your name?" I ask nervously._

_"I'am here to kill you," she laughs._

_"Why?" I whisper._

_She cackles, her head bobbing and causing her curls to bounce. "Because I can."_

_My heart is beating so fast it feels like it's going to burst. I swallow the lump in my throat and ask again, _"What is your name?"

_The girl's smile grows wider. "My name is Mya Zachary Walls. And I'am here to kill you."_

I wake up with a bloodcurdling scream. It echos in the air and bounces around in the forest. What did that mean? Mya Zachary Walls. Kaliana Zachary. Zeb Walls. That girl was a spit of them both. She had Kaliana's eyes. Zeb's nose. Their hair combined together to make the ultimate ginger colour.

She was their daughter.

"Prim!" Zeb exclaims, dropping from the sky and landing beside me. "Are you OK?!"

I shake my head to get the image of the girl as far away from my frontal thoughts as possible. "Yeah," My voice is ragged and quiet so I cough and say it again. "Yes, I just had a nightmare."

"Are you going to be OK?" He asks.

"Yeah, nothing I haven't endured before," I reply with a small smile. Like my mother, I sometimes get tormented by nightmares. Most of the time they're things I can't make sense of. Other times the point of them are perfectly clear.

I examine my surroundings, just to confirm to myself where I'am. Yup, still in the Games. The area I sit in is still frosted over but there's a small river of water pouring down the rocks by the pond I froze.

"Wayne made that," Zeb says. "So you could drink."

"Oh," I reply simply.

"Look at them," Zeb murmers, pointing off to the left.

I turn and can't help smiling at what lies before me. Wayne and Jack are asleep, propped up against a tree. Wayne's arms are tightly wrapped around Jack's sleeping form protectivly. It's so adorable I think I'm going to cry.

I swallow it down hard and smile instead. "That's so sweet."

"Yeah," Zeb muses. "Very much so."

"So," I ask. "How long do these Games last?"

"Ages," Zeb replies. "Literally months."

"Why?" I ask.

"No-one is meek or afraid. Even the tributes who aren't Careers. They all have a power. They're all confident," Zeb explains.

"That makes sense," I reply. I can't think of what it's like. Tributes walking round with confidence . . . it's frightening.

I cross my arms over my chest and shiver. The wind whistles through the leaves of the trees and the sun pierces through the holes in the green plants in ribbons of bright light.

"Jack dies today," Zeb states randomly. The world stills for a moment as my heart drops into my stomach. "What?" I ask.

"Jack will be killed today," Zeb explains.

My gaze flies back over to the sleeping boys again and my heart cracks open. No. That can't happen. Jack won't die today. He's got the power of winter behind him, what could possibly hurt him?

"District 3," Zeb says. "The funny thing is it's those two tributes that are the most dangerous in the whole Games. Not the Careers. Not one of the more well known Districts. 3 are the most powerful. 3 are the most dangerous."

"Why?" I ask.

"The boy is harmless," Zeb explains. "His name is Quail. He can barely use the power. It's the girl you have to worry about."

"Why? Who's the girl?" I question.

"Her name is Eva," he answers. "She slept with the Head Gamemaker so he'd give her this power. It was orignally assigned to District One. To Esmerelda and Jacob. But she convinced him not to give it to them. She's deceitful Primrose."

"What's 3's power then?" I ask.

"They draw you to them. Then they can make you feel whatever they want . . . with their eyes," Zeb explains.

"I don't think I understand," I reply.

"You will. She's coming right now," Zeb says gravelly.

My blood runs cold. "How soon?" I ask.

A pause. "One minute."

I go to scramble to my feet but Zeb makes an arrow appear in his hand and uses it's power to touch mortals to jam it into my jeans back pocket and pull me back onto the ground. "You can't Prim. You know you can't."

"I can't let him die!" I snap. "Wayne loves him! And he loves him back! They _just_ found each other Zeb! I can't let him die!"

Zeb digs the point of the arrow, which is still stuck through the fabric of my jeans, so far into the ground that I can't pull it back out. "Zeb!" I yell. "Let me up!"

"I'm so sorry Prim," Zeb whispers before vanishing.

"ZEB!" I shout, trying desperately to pull the arrow out of the ground. "JACK! WAYNE! WAKE UP!" I scream as loud as I can.

Wayne, being a career and knowing how to sleep lightly, wakes up and gently wakes Jack up. "Mary, what's wrong?" He asks in alarm as Jack climbs out of his embrace.

"Someone's coming you have to run!" I shout as claw at the arrow, trying to pull it out again.

"What about you?" Jack asks, running over to me. "What's wrong?"

"I can't get up!" I answer. "Just run!"

"What? Why can't you get up?" Wayne says, running over to me.

_"They can't see the arrow," _Zeb tells me. _"They won't understand."_

A cannon suddenly goes off and a girl's cackle is heard in the trees. "Run! Please, both of you just go!" I yell. "Please!"

"We're not leaving without you!" Jack protests.

"Yes you are!" I snap.

The cackle get closer and I jump when Eva glides out of the trees effortlessly. Her hair is glowing blonde and reaches the small of her back and beginning of her waistline. Her eyes shine purple and her lips are a vivid red colour. She's porcelin pale and curvy. She wears a white dress that reaches her knees and gold sandals that lace up her shins.

"Hello guys," she says, her voice velvety soft and curling round each word like silk. "Going my way?"

"Oh please!" I scoff, my hands still grappling at the arrow in my pants pocket.

"Look at that," she says. "Something wrong Mary?" Her head tilts to the side and her purple eyes blink curiously.

"I can't get up Princess OK?" I snap, pulling the arrow which is still stuck fast.

Her eyes flick over to Jack and Wayne and a small smile creeps up onto her face. "I was going to torture you guys with the obvious attraction Mr. Lawerence gave me but I can see in your auras that you two are already on a different wagon completely," she says.

_"Oh and she can read auras,"_ Zeb puts in. I roll my eyes and continue to pull.

"Oh yeah thanks for telling me!" I snap out loud.

Eva bursts out laughing. "I can see it now," she says smoothly, looking back at me. "You've got the fever."

I push myself off the ground a couple of inches and try and pull the arrow out using my body weight but it isn't working. I fall back onto the ground again with a moan. "_Zeb Walls I'm going to kill you!"_

_"Bit late for that Prim," _Zeb replies.

"So, since your all on your own and you two are . . . 'out of the closet' or cabinet or cupboard or where ever the hell you guys hide, I'll just kill you," Eva grins. Her eyes zone in on Jack, who's standing in the middle of the three of us. "Starting with pretty boy."

"Don't touch him!" Wayne shouts, storming over to Eva to try and fight her.

Eva smiles, her expression stonic yet pleased. "Pain," she states.

He's only gotten a couple of steps before he writhes in pain, falling to the ground. "Wayne!" Jack screams, his hands flying over his mouth.

I look at the calm expression Eva holds as her eyes bestow the pain onto Wayne. "Stop it!" I scream. "Stop it!"

"Take me instead!" Jack yells.

"No, No, No, No, No!" I shout.

Eva grins and releases Wayne, who gasps in relief. She holds out her hand and curls her finger in a 'come hether' gesture. Jack complies, walking over to her with his head held high. "Take me first," he says.

"No," Wayne whines weakly from his position on the ground.

"Leave him alone!" I warn.

"So cute," Eva says wiping some hair away from his forehead. "4's a lucky guy."

"Leave him alone!" Wayne shouts, fighting to pull himself up off the ground but the aftermath of the pain keeping him down.

"Too bad your boyfriend can't save you now," Eva sighs. Her purple eyes look round at Wayne and she smirks. She turns back to Jack and states, "Pain."

Jack immediately crumples to the ground and whines in pain. "NO!" Wayne screams.

I yell unintelligate words at Eva as I continue to pull at the arrow. Her eyes don't blink and her expression doesn't change as she continues to stare down on Jack, causing more and more pain.

After five minutes of this, I scream and gather all my strength to pull as hard as I can.

And the arrow comes out.

Scrambling to my feet, I launch myself at them. Pushing Jack out of the way, I hurl myself into Eva's eyeline and take up the pain.

It's crippling. The only way to describe it. Crippling.

I feel my muscles tense and I fall to the ground. My back arches against the ground and I try and shake the pain away.

"YOUR HURTING HER!" Someone screams."MARY! PLEASE STOP IT! STOP HURTING HER!"

_"I'm sorry Prim . . . I couldn't bring myself to tell you this time,"_ Zeb's voice echoes in my mind._ "You save Jack from Mary."_

"ZEB!" I scream, clutching my heart as the beats get slower. My eyes get groggy and my tensed muscles release as the world slides away from my perception.

_"Prim, I'm so, so, sorry."_

~xXx~

I'm dropped into another body. My mind is foggy and I feel heavy. My eyes droop momentarily before I remember where I'am and slap myself, effectivly snapping myself out of it. I may have died, but one thought forms into my head.

_I just saved Jack's life._

I scan my surroundings and realize I'm in the middle of a well-kempt city. I notice I'm dressed in a black short skirt, matching black leggings, pink sneaker boots that reach up to my knees, a white shirt and a black leather jacket.

_'5'_

Here we go again.

_'4'_

I wonder how this one is going to go.

_'3'_

I wonder which one this is.

_'2'_

My does my throat feel weird?

_'1'_

The District one girl jumps off her podium and twirls forward a couple of steps before doing jazz hands. She opens her mouth and out comes:

_"Tonight, I'm going have myseeellfff, I real good timmmeee!"_

You have _got_ to be kidding me.

**A/N: HA! I know, I know, so many feels right? But I had to! Don't worry, you'll enjoy the next Games! If you can predict what it is anyway. If the District One girl hasn't given it away already that is!**

**Why did Zeb lie to Prim? Will Prim herself discover the next part of the epiphany? Was that really Zeb and Kaliana's daughter in her dream at the beginning? Stay tuned to find out!**

**Zeb and Kaliana's 'daughter' in Primrose's dream is named after my best friend's newborn baby girl, Mya Carson, who I have decided to dedicate the **_**Echos of the Descendant**_** trilogy to. I love you baby girl xx :)**

**Reviewers get cupcakes! ^_^**


	11. 65 - Primrose, get your gun

**A/N: Hello people! I can tell your all going 'musical? what the heck?' well, here it is! This is for a humourous twist after all the heavy feels, so enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games. Song's disclaimers at the end as to not give away what's going to be sung ^_^**

Chapter Eleven- 65 - Primrose get your gun

I watch as the girl's counterpart comes off his podium too and touches her shoulder with his hand.

_"And the world, turning inside out yeah . . ." _he continues for her.

Oh my god, is this really happening? As everyone get off their podiums they head to the cornucopia. Every move looks co-ordinated. As if taught as a dance routine of some sort from a musical.

Well, they're not getting me to sing.

_"Don't stop me now," _District 5 sing in harmony.

_"Don't stop me now,"_ Everyone else but me repeats.

I stand there, paralysed in shock. This is some sort of joke right?

_"And I'm having a good time, having a good time!"_ District 2 boy hums as he slices open the District 8 boy with a sword.

"Oh my god, I need to get out of here!" I exclaim, turning on my heel and running away behind me.

I run onto a footpath and run into a tall building that sits by the sidewalk. Inside is a large room with a staircase to my left, an elevator partially hidden by the staircase and a reception desk to the right. I leap up the stairs two at a time until I get to the very top of the building. I immediately search for the nearest window and look outside.

The tributes are fighting. They are playing the Games right but it seems . . . different. They're singing and dancing as if in some stage show as they go!

"This was the year musicals was a fad in the Capitol," Zeb says, making me jump out of my skin. "So, this Games was inevitabley made into a musical."

"How though?" I ask. "Not everyone can sing and dance. Most people have no rythmn."

"Genetically altered," Zeb answers. "They all have the voices and co-ordination of a performer now."

"I don't," I snigger. "I'll never sing."

Zeb laughs. "You have no idea," he chuckles. With that, he vanishes.

"Zeb! Zeb! What do you mean?!" I shout.

Sighing in irritation, I watch as the tributes fight and the brawl disperses. Ten cannons go off and I press my hand against the window. I watch as the glass fogs up and blocks my view of the Cornucopia clearing.

I'm shocked when a deep laugh snaps me out of my thoughts. I turn round and am suprised when the presence of another tribute doesn't bother me. Maybe I'm getting used to this. The boy is dressed in black skinny jeans with a blue shirt adorned with a yellow logo. His hair is light brown and messy ontop of his head and his eyes are chestnut brown.

My mind immediately clicks and his name comes into my head. _"Darren. My District counterpart."_

_"Your name is Bliss Honeywell. Darren and you have had a rivielry ever since you were little kids. Mortal enemies really. It was quite ironic when you both got reaped for the Games,"_ Zeb explains in my head.

"So Bliss," Darren begins, a smirk plastered across his face. "How did you manage to get away?"

"I ran in the oppisote direction," I reply. "You know, like a sensible person?"

Darren scoffs and runs his hand through his hair. "Still sticking with being goody two shoes even when your in the Games? I don't think the sensible thing is what the Capitol wants to see," he says.

"Yes, but it'll be what keeps me alive," I retort.

"Face it Bliss, if any of the two of us are going to survive it'll be me," Darren grins.

I scoff at his cockiness. "Your such an arogant idiot sometimes," I sigh. By the end of all this, I'll be ready to be on a Capitol soap I'm that good at acting.

"It's the truth," Darren shrugs. A frown suddenly forms onto his face before his mouth opens. _"Anything you can do, I can do better!"_ he sings. It looks perfectly against his will but it's happening anyway.

I'm about to laugh him off when I find my voice forcing it's way up my throat. _"HA!" _I sing back.

_"I can do anything better than you!"_ Darren insists.

_"No you can't,"_ I scoff.

_"Yes, I can,"_ Darren contradicts.

_"No you can't," _I snap back.

_"Yes, I can!"_

_"No, you can't!"_

_"Yes I can, yes I can!" _Darren sings angrily.

This singing match is basically fuelled by anger and not wanting the other to think they're better. Bliss must have had a reasonable reason for seeing Darren as an enemy and I seem to not want him to think he's better than me. That's what keeps me singing.

_"Anything you can do, I can do greater, sooner or later, I'm greater than you!"_ I sing in perfect harmony. No mockingjays will be dying of burst eardrums today.

Darren scoffs. _"No your not."_

_"Yes, I'am,"_ I chirp.

_"No your not,"_ Darren protests.

_"Yes, I'am!"_

_"No, your not!"_

_**"**__Yes, I'am, yes I'am!"_

A different tribute suddenly appears at the top of the stairs. Darren whirls round and slices her back with a sword he had hooked in his belt loops. _"I could kill 4, while still wanting more!"_ He sings once the cannon blows and the girl drops to the ground. My eyes flicker momentarily to the dead girl before taking a deep breath and retorting with, _"I could murder 5 with as little as a hive!"_

_"You do realize how pathiec that sounded?"_ he asks against the rythmn.

_"Oh do shut up,"_ I reply in the same tempo. I can hear Zeb's laugh vibrating inside my head.

_"I get a kick, messing with the 6," _Darren sings.

_"I mess with seven, you know, that kid Leven?"_ I question with a quirked eyebrow.

Darren rolls his eyes and crosses his arms. _"I can do most anything!"_ I beam at him.

_"Can you bake a pie?"_ he gasps.

_"No," _I grumble.

_"Neither can I," _he sighs.

_"Any note you can sing I can sing higher, I can sing any note higher than you!"_ I sing.

_"No you can't,"_ Darren scoffs.

_"Yes I can,"_ I contradict, my voice notching in pitch.

_"No you can't,"_ Darren replies, his voice higher.

_"Yes I can,"_ I snap, my voice higher than ever.

_"No you can't!" _How can he get his voice so high?

I then shock myself with how high I sing, _"Yes I cannnn!"_ I sound like I'm an opera singer!

Darren scoffs and paces back and forth for a moment before snapping his fingers. _"Anything you can sing I can sing faster, I can sing anything faster than you!"_

_"No you can't!"_ I exclaim.

_"Yes I can," _Darren grins, speaking really fast.

_"Noyoucan't!" _I protest, speaking so fast my words start to run into each other.

_"YesIcan,"_ he replies.

We both repeat the arguement so fast that the words blurr into each other and sound like a load of nonsense. I'm the first one to give up and I sigh. _"Anything note you can hold, I can hold longer, I can hold any note longer than you,"_ I sing.

_"No you can't!"_ Darren frowns.

_"Yes, I can,"_ I grin.

_"No you caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnn n't!" _Darren holds the note so long that his face turns red.

I shake myself and take in a giant gulp of air before singing back, _"Yes, I  
caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!" _I'm forced to squeak out the last 'an' as there is no air left in my lungs.

Darren glares before coughing. "How long was that going to last?" he asks, no longer singing.

I sigh and realize I'm not forced to sing anymore. "I have no idea but it looks like I won," I reply truimphantly.

Darren laughs and shakes his head. "Keep thinking that kid."

I give him a death glare and clench my hands into fists. "Zeb?" I ask. "What do I do next?" I see Darren's confused expression and interuppt him as he opens his mouth to speak. "Yes, I know, I've got the fever, whatever. Now shut up and let me talk to him!"

Zeb doesn't appear and I cry out in frustration. Why doesn't he come when I need him to?

"Now Bliss, I'd love to stay and watch you talk to your imaginary friends but I really need to be getting on," Darren says, rasing his sword to catch the light again. "Wish you got a weapon out of the Cornucopia now?"

"No," I answer curtly. "I don't."

"Suit yourself," Darren shurgs, approaching me slowly.

I look around the room for assets and the only thing I can find is the window behind me. I panic and fling it open and climb out in a hurry.

Only to fall off the 45th floor.

My body feels weightless as I fall through the air, the force of the fall pushing the skin of my face taunt against my skull. I scream at the top of my lungs as my stomach drops and my heart jumps into my throat.

The last thing I remember is the ground getting closer and closer towards me before the unbearable pain wrecks through my body and I black out.

_It's an office. A giant Mahogany desk sits before me and President Lynn sits behind it with a grin on her face. Papers are scattered messily before her. My family and friends are sitting by the wall to my right. My mum, with dark circles under her eyes and knots tangling the hair on her head, clings onto Gale's hand like it's a lifeline. Gale himself is beaten up and covered in cuts. He's looking dead shot forward, not noticing me, not noticing Lynn or anything around him. I think I only caught him blinking once. My dad's eyes are hard and unemotional. As if stuck in an inbetween state of hijacked episode and normal being. Cat has a girl's head in her lap. The girl's black hair covers her face and obsurces her features. Kaliana is the most noticable to me. Her stomach isn't showing any sign of pregnancy. She's far enough along to have a bump and yet it's not there. _

_An arm suddenly winds round my neck, not enough to choke me but enough to make my breathing cut short. "Little Primrose Mellark," A voice jeers into my ear. "Out of her element." _

_I know that voice._

_From my nightmare._

_Mya._

_"Do you know," I begin, gasping in a gulp of air before continueing. "What your even doing?"_

_A laugh rumbles out behind me. "Of course. I'am Lynn's assasian. I kill for her. I was born of the Capitol. I was raised to kill Primrose Mellark," she says behind me._

_"You were not born of the Capitol!" I gasp. "She's lying to you! Your mother is right there! Kaliana Zachary! Your father is Zeb Walls! They would not want you to kill like this!"_

_Mya scoffs. "Do lies come so easily to you like they do your father? I'am not born from some brats from the districts. I was born of the Capitol. I'am Lynn's Assasian. And I will kill you."_

_"Do you honestly think your Lynn's daughter?" I scoff. "Have you looked at yourself lately?"_

_"I know I'm not Lynn's," Mya laughs. "And I know very well who my parents are. But I do not belong to them."_

_"Why not?"_

_"Because I do not want to be theirs," Mya snaps. _

_"Why do you want to kill me?" I ask._

_"Because it's fun."_

**A/N: I know I said this was supposed to be humourous but the Mya bit was nessecary for the plot line.**

**Anyway, I hope you liked it! Sorry for my patheic remake of the song from **_**Annie Get your Gun, **_**but the numbers they were singing about were tribute's district numbers :)**

**Disclaimer: All rights to Queen and the writers of **_**Annie Get Your Gun.**_

**Reviewers get cupcakes! ^_^**


	12. 65-Hey dad, I want to be your girlfriend

**A/N: Hey guys . . . um . . . I just wanna say I won't be updating for a while. Just some stuff that's happening and I'll be very busy. To make up for that I'm posting two chapters up for you today. Enjoy.**

Chapter Tweleve- 65- Hey dad, I want to be your girlfriend

I wake up with a start. My head aches from the fall and I think I've sprained my wrist. Could have been worse I guess. Bliss could have died . . . I could have died.

Why do I keep dreaming of Mya? In the dreams she looks about twenty years old. Older than me and both her parents, but I didn't feel twenty years older in either of the dreams she featured in. Is this a sign of some sort? Maybe it's something to do with _Project Infant_ . . .

As I sit up I'm startled to find Maurice sitting across from me, his sea green eyes boring into my grey ones. No . . . wait . . . that's not Maurice . . . that's . . .

"Finnick?" I frown.

Finnick smiles at me. "Are you alright?" he asks.

"Uh . . . yeah," I answer, a bit stunned.

Are these Finnick's Games? Why didn't Zeb say? Did he know? He must have knew! But then maybe he doesn't know that Finnick is my father in law to be . . .

Oh this is weird. He's fourteen. Finnick I mean. He's currently younger than me. Spooky.

"Shouldn't you have finished off the job while I was unconcious?" I ask curiously. "Your a career after all."

Finnick shrugs. "I'm a career, sure. Doesn't mean I'm not nosey. You jumped off the 45th floor of that building. What can I say? I want to know why."

I look up to the building behind him and notice the open window that I leaped from. That's very high up . . . why didn't I die? Luck maybe? Doesn't seem like good luck really exists in the Games though . . .

"I was chased out," I answer simply. "Worth keeping me alive for that?"

Finnick narrows his eyes and frowns. "You remind me of someone," he says.

"Oh?" I ask.

"It's the hair. Brown and messy," he muses.

Bliss must be a Seam girl. I never thought to have a look at my hair. I was too busy busting some notes with Darren. It's strange. Whatever the Capitol did to the tributes seems to have made them sing whenever the moment suits a song. You can't help it, it just comes up your throat and gets released out.

Brown and messy . . . Annie. Is he thinking of Annie? Did he even know Annie before he went into the Games? Maybe he noticed her in passing or something . . .

"So are you going to kill me or what?" I ask. "Or am I getting a head start to make it more fun?"

He laughs at me and twirls a knife round in his hand. "You can run if you want," he shrugs.

"Yeah, well, I won't give you the amusement of that," I sniff. "I think I'll stay here."

It's so alien talking to him like this. I only met him back when I got District 4 to uprise, thinking he was dead most of my life, and now here I'am talking to him in sarcasm and, I'll admit it, irritation. His cockiness, even as a fourteen year old, is grating on me.

Before he can get a chance to even try and kill me a curvy red head marches up behind him with a look of death in her emerald eyes. "Finnick what the hell are you doing?!" she screeches. I wince at her voice. It's so high pitched it nearly shatters the glass on all the buildings in sight. "Why didn't you kill her?!"

Finnick rolls his eyes at me and whispers, _'Kill me,' _ before turning to the girl and sighing. "I was getting to it Addie," he says.

"Sure, of course you were," Addie sighs. "You know, your sympathy is going to be the death of us all!"

"Really? Last time I checked I killed more people at the Bloodbath than you did," Finnick replies.

Addie scowls and I can't help but ask, "Are you two a couple?"

As Addie grins and says, "Yes!" Finnick slowly shakes his head and mouths, _'No.'_

Regardless, Addie doesn't notice. She grabs the scruff of Finnick's shirt and pulls him to his feet. For such an athletic boy he seems to comply to this girl's demands way too much.

_"It's because Addie's mother is the boss of the boating company Finnick's father works at,"_ Zeb, suddenly making an appearance in my head again, explains. _"Once he wins the Games, Finnick will have enough money to provide for his family himself. But until then he's dating Addie to keep her and her mother happy. Therefore keeping his father in a job."_

_"So, really, if he wanted to, he could dump her now he's in the Games? Since when he gets out he can provide for his family?"_ I think.

_"Well, pretty much, yeah,"_ Zeb answers.

Something wells up in my throat as I watch Addie argue animately with Finnick, who just contributes an occasional eye roll and overexaggerated sigh to the arguement. I don't like it. I recognize the feeling. From when I was with Darren and he started to break into song.

I also recognize the song coming into my head. Oh lord no! He's my father in law to be! My fiancee's father! Don't make me sing that! I know I'm Bliss and all that but really?!

As people used to say years ago, _it's showtime!_

I jump to my feet and walk over to couple, walking through them and spinning round on my heel beside them.

_"Hey, hey, you, you, I don't like your girlfriend!" _I sing as loud as I can. I lean my arm on Finnick's shoulder and point at Addie, _"No way, No way, I think you need a new one!"_ Addie looks immediately annoyed and I can't help but raise an amused eyebrow at her. She scowls in return. _"Hey, hey, you, you, I could be your girlfriend!" _Finnick laughs and I swat him on the arm. At least it's entertaining someone. _"Hey, hey, you, you, I know that you like me! No way, no way, you know it's not a secret! Hey, hey, you, you, I want to be your girlfriend!"_

I back away from them with a grin on my face that makes them follow me across the deserted road. While still walking backwards I continue.

_"Your so fine, I want you mine, your so delicious,"_ I sing. _"I think about you all the time, your so addictive! Don't you know what I can do to make you feel alright?"_

I jump onto a bench by the sidewalk and do a 360 spin. _"Don't pretend you don't know, I'm damn precious, and hell yeah, I'm the District 12 princess! I can tell you like me too and you feel alright!"_

I let my body droop a bit and flick my thumb towards Addie, rolling my eyes. _"She's like, so whatever! You could do so much better! I think we should get together now! And that's what everyone's talking 'bout!"_

I move around the bench, dancing like a real professional while I repeat the chorus. Addie looks like she's about to burst in anger while Finnick looks like he's going to burst into hysterics.

_"And in a second you'll be wrapped around my finger, cuz' I can, cuz' I can do it better! There's no other, so when's it going to sink in, she's so stupid what the hell were you thinking?" _I jump off the back of the bench and run back round to them, sitting down on the seat of the bench and throwing one leg over the other. _"And in a second you'll be wrapped around my finger, cuz' I can, cuz I can do it better!" _I repeat, wiggling my pinky finger. _"There's no other, so when's it going to sink in, she's so stupid what the hell were you thinking?!"_

I jump to my feet again and swipe some imagniary dirt off Finnick's shoulder._ "Hey, hey, you, you, I don't like your girlfriend! No way, no way, I think you need a new one! Hey, hey, you, you, I could be your girlfriend!"_ Addie tries to punch me but I duck under her. _"Hey, hey, you, you, I know that you like me! No way, no way, you know it's not a secret! Hey, hey, you, you, I want to be your girlfriend!"_

As the song ends I pull Finnick into a hug and whisper into his ear, "Primrose Mellark misses you and Maurice Odair loves you."

Before he can ask what I mean I run down the road as Addie screams and chases me away. "Good luck Finnick!" I yell as I disappear from his view.

As I run down the road I hear Addie's footsteps following me. I jump onto a vegetable stall cart and pull myself onto the gutter at the top of the shop building behind the stall. I pull myself onto the roof of the shop and cross my legs. As Addie passes I laugh and call out, "Better get back to your boyfriend Addie! Might run off on you!"

Addie stops in her tracks and glares at me. "What's it to you?" she hisses. "He's mine and we'll be together forever!"

I bark out a laugh and fall backwards onto the roof. "Your so naive!" I chuckle. "Your in the Games! Only one person gets out _remember?"_

"We'll figure out a way," Addie snaps. This makes me laugh harder.

"No, you won't," I retort. "Wanna know a secret? Finnick's gonna live. He's going to win and go back home to his family and be rid of you for good!"

Addie screams, "LIAR!" at me and chucks a ninja star at me. I squeak and fall onto my side to avoid it. Her miss just annoys her more so she scales the stall too. I scramble to my feet and run to the top of the roof. She's fast though and reaches me at the top.

Grabbing my shoulder, she spins me round and goes to punch me. I duck and crawl under her spread legs and pull her hair from behind. She shrieks and stamps on my foot. Damn it she's in high heel shoes! As the pain shoots up my foot I release her hair as I cry out. She elbows me in the stomach and pushes me to the ground.

I slide down the roof at top speed and manage to slide round my side. I quickly grab the gutter with my uninjured hand as my body goes flying off the roof. My heart beats like a rabbit as Addie strolls down the roof and grins at me. "Night, night twelve," she grins as she steps on my hand and crunches down.

I think I hear some bones crack as I let go, screaming as I plumment to the ground for the second time today.

Only this time I don't hit the ground. I land onto the stall roof. My back bends like a bow in pain but I roll off the stall and run before Addie has time to get down and get me for good.

Now both my hands are hurt. If I trip I won't be able to catch myself. Best not trip then I guess.

Trying not to trip ultimately makes me trip. I manage to shoulder roll it over though. Once I'm back on my feet I find a clump of bushes behind the gate to an entrance of a park. I dive inside them and hide as Addie runs past. I don't come out until she's well gone.

I sit up right in the bushes, my head just poking out of the leaves, and examine my wrists. They're both badly bruised and are painful to move.

I swear under my breath. In the Games with both my hands injured? Not good. Not good at all.

"I see you thought the bushes was the best place to hide too!" A voice chirps loudly beside me. I jump so high I nearly clear three feet. I look to my side and gasp at the girl grinning beside me.

I want to answer her but the glint of the knife in her hand makes the words fall out of my mouth dry.

**A/N: I'm posting the second chapter up immediately. I hope you liked this one.**

**Question: When you read the chapter, '65 - Primrose, get your gun,' did any of you notice that the Games number was Finnick's year in the Games?**

**Reviewers get cupcakes.**


	13. 65-Express yourself

**A/N: Hi, here's the second chapter posted today.**

Chapter Thirteen-65-Express Yourself

The girl immediately notices me looking at her weapon and she laughs. "Don't worry about this, it's just an accessory!" she says cheerfully. Her black hair bounces in the air, barely touching her shoulders, as she jumps on her knees on the spot in excitement. "I'm Ingrid, what's your name? NO! Wait, don't tell me, let me guess . . . uh . . . are you Finch from District 6? No, wait, she's dead isn't she? Hold on I can get this right! Ah . . . Nadine from 7? No, hold on, she just ran past before Addie and yourself . . ."

"Can't I just tell you-"

"No! I can get this!" Ingrid insists, slapping her hand over my mouth. "Una from 3! No . . . hold on . . . Finnick stabbed her to death . . . Oh! Oh! Your Ingrid from 10! No, wait, that's me . . ."

"I'm Bliss Honeywell, from 12," I say through her hand.

Ingrid drops her hand and sighs, her grin never leaving her face, "I probably would never have gotten it anyway. Never mind, pleased to meet you Bliss! I'm Ingrid Anderson! Or did I already tell you that? Meh, no matter."

Is this girl hyper? Or at the very least _high_ on something? She's way to enthusiastic to be a tribute in the arena.

"So . . . your from 10?" I ask.

"Yes indeedy," Ingrid grins. "I work on the Walls farm, collecting the chicken's eggs! Not the best pay but you take what you can get right?"

"Walls farm?" I ask.

"Oh yes! Lovely people! Mrs. Walls recently passed on sadly but it means that Mr. Walls will be putting the farm up for sale! My dad has already put down a payment on it so maybe someday it'll belong to us!"

"Your an Anderson?" I ask.

"You know us?" Ingrid asks back.

"No . . . but I've heard the name before . . ."

_"I'm from the Capitol but I'm against self-alteration," Cat says."I was shoved into this district and forced to go and find a boy whose name I only knew to be Zeb Walls and that he was seventeen years old like me. So I walked about for a bit and asked a couple of people if they knew you. Eventually someone directed me to the farm you worked on. What is it? Andies? Andely's?"_

"Andersons," Zeb replies coldy.

The Andersons Farm is where Zeb worked back in District 10. Yes, because that's what he said when Reyna told me about the police report on Cat's actions isn't it? The Anderson Farm. But . . . it used to be the Walls Farm? I definetly didn't know that.

"Do you know much about the Walls family?" I ask.

Ingrid shrugs. "Mr. and Mrs. Walls were very quiet people. Her children are very fun though!"

"Children?"

"Wow, your almost as bad as I'am!" Ingrid giggles. "So many questions!"

"Children?" I repeat.

"Yes! Keep up Bliss!" Ingrid grins. "Carol and Zebadyan. They're my best friends! Hey guys if you're watching! I told you I'd make a friend! Not all of them are heartless!"

This time I slap my hand over her mouth, forgetting it's injured and wincing in pain. "Sssh! You'll attract tributes!"

"And?" Ingrid frowns. "I'm going to die anyway, I might as well enjoy myself."

"What?"

Ingrid rolls her eyes, the smile still plastered on her face. "Bliss, I'm thirteen. I'm not making it out of here alive, we might as well face the facts. But I'm not going to go around being all sad and gloomy, waiting for death to come. I'm going to enjoy myself."

" . . . What?"

Ingrid laughs. "It means, I'm going to be myself and not let the Capitol change me just cuz' I got reaped."

I frown. "_What?!"_

"Gee, that's your favourite word isn't it?" Ingrid giggles. "We're in the _Games_ Bliss! We don't know how long we've got!"

"Meaning?"

"Enjoy yourself!"

Ingrid leaps out of the bush and spins on her heel to face me again._ "I say the same thing twice, I'm awkward when I speak! Ain't got the perfect smile, don't turn heads on my street,"_ She sings to me. What's different from the past two singing encounters I've experienced, Ingrid seems to be completely happy with singing this song._ "Try and be a superstar like everybody else! But being myself is something I do well!"_

She grabs my elbow and yanks me out of the bushes too. I stumble but she keeps me upright. She walks happily down the sidewalk with a grin on her face as she continues, _"Whatever you doooo, do it goooooddd!"_ She sings. _"Whatever you do, do, do, do, oh yeeeeahh! Do it gooodd!"_

Letting go of my elbow, Ingrid runs forward and does a somersault infront of me before spinning 360 and bursting out, _"Express yourself!"_ I follow her down the sidewalk as she dances, jumps, kicks, and swings to the rythnm._ "Express yourself!"_ she repeats after a minute._ "See, it's not what you look like, when your doing, what your doing, express yourself!"_ I laugh as she jumps onto a lamp post and swings right round it.

Can you blame me for joining in?

_"I don't make the papers, I'm far from JLS!"_ I sing.

_"J. L. S!"_ Ingrid repeats, annunciating each letter.

_"Don't got the X-factor, I'm not what they expect!"_ I continue, starting to dance along with her._ "It won't be long, be long, before my turn is next, to express, express-express myself!"_

_"Whatever I do!"_ Ingrid sings, waiting for me to continue.

_"I do it good!"_ I finish for her.

_"So whatever you do, do, do, oh yeah," _ Ingrid sings.

_"Do it good!"_ I laugh.

We repeat the chorus while laughing and giggling like two lunitics. You wouldn't think we were in the Hunger Games right now the way we're getting on.

_"Lose my shirt and tie!"_ I sing.

_"There ain't nothing toooo hide!"_ Ingrid finishes.

_"Show 'em what you got ooohhh! There ain't nothing wrong with perfect! Perfect! Now it's your time to shiinnneee!" _I sing happily.

We finish the chorus one last time and collapse in the middle of the sidewalk in a fit of giggles.

"See?" Ingrid laughs. "Enjoy yourself while you can!"

"Hmmm," I reply vaguely. "Question: Who's JLS?"

"And what's the X-factor?" Ingrid frowns.

"No idea," I shrug.

"Do you understand now?"

"Understand what?"

"In the end, everyone dies. Surviving the Hunger Games just means your life is prolonged to suffer through the world a bit longer," Ingrid shrugs. "I'm happy enough being here or being back home. Beats waking up at the crack of dawn to collect eggs though I tell ya."

I consider this and nod. "Maybe we should get out of the open."

"If you say so," Ingrid shurgs, getting to her feet. I stay where I'am, staring at my injured hands. "Are you coming?" she asks.

I shuffle on the spot sheepishly. "I can't get up."

"Why not?"

"I've injured both my hands," I tell her.

Ingrid crouches before me, gently takes my wrists in her hands and winces. "Oooh, that looks painful."

I shrug. "I haven't been using them," I say.

"OK, I'll help you," Ingrid grabs both my elbows and hauls me up to my feet.

"Thanks," I respond gratefully.

We head off back down the sidewalk towards a desolate looking alleyway across the road. Ingrid suprises me. She seems to just take everything in her stride. Her bubbly personality thrown me off guard from the beginning and I still can't figure her out.

And she's an Anderson. A direct link to Zeb's future. I have a niggling feeling that this is significant but I can't think of how.

Speaking of Zeb, where the hell did he go again? This is starting to get annoying and not funny at all. Where, I wonder, does he go when he's not down here with me?

"So, what's District 10 like?" I ask Ingrid as we cross the road and head into the alleyway.

"OK, I guess," Ingrid replies. "It's the only life I've ever known. Entrails and old meat, the occasional egg at the end of the month. Our houses are more like shelters but they get us by. Farmers are a bit better off, but not by much. That's why I hope dad gets the farm."

"What about Mr. Walls and his kids?" I ask.

"Oh, we won't abandon them! Heavens no! But Mr. Walls can't afford to look after the Farm and Carol and Zebadyan. His money's running out. But if dad does get the farm we will look after them. The Walls' family's luck isn't the best anyway," Ingrid explains as we sit in a dark secluded corner at the bottom of the alleyway, beside a fence.

"What do you mean by their luck isn't the best?" I ask.

"Well . . . their always seems to be a member of the Walls' family reaped into the Games at one point every five years. Carol has luckily escaped it but Zebadyon is still elliageable. They're always given a hard time by the Peacekeepers and stuff which isn't really that fair either. Everyone thinks it's because of their ancestor's roles in the rebellion." She whispers the word 'rebellion' as if it's some sort of scared spell. "Penelope has no idea what she's getting herself into."

"Penelope?" I frown.

"Yeah, Zebadyon's girlfriend. Rumour is they're getting married. Well, I say married, they're still my age but it's kinda like a playground type thing, you know? It can be sickening sometimes, watching them walking round the District, holding hands, kissing and such, but then again, it's also nice and refreshing. Seeing at least someone's happy."

"I know the feeling," I mumble.

"I mean, they're so happy they've picked out baby names! I mean, who does _that_ unless they're really in love?" Ingrid almost demands to know.

"I guess no-one," I reply.

"Exactly my point," Ingrid says. "We haven't seen real love in the District for a long time. People get together and get married for the sake of reproduction. For the sake of keeping the District populated. It's nice to see people holding hands and kissing and choosing baby names. Even if it is just two kids playing house."

"What names did they choose then?" I ask.

"If it's a girl, Carrie," Ingrid answers. "You know, not like the word 'carry' but Carrie, as in with an 'ie' at the end."

Carrie . . . concidence?

"And if it's a boy, they're going to shorten Zebadyon's name," Ingrid explains.

"Making . . . ?"

"Zeb."

**A/N: I hope to see you guys in the near future when I update again. Until then *salutes***

**Reviewers get cupcakes.**


	14. 65-Some Nights

_**A/N: OMJ guys you have NO idea how sorry I'am! I haven't updated since January! That's such a disgrace and I'm so sorry but there's been so much going on lately and no amount of excuses can fix it but I'm hoping to get back on track with this story. I'm SO sorry! :O**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games.**_

Chapter Fourteen- 65 - Some Nights

As Ingrid takes a nap, I mull over her words. The athemn played as soon as it got dark and the dead were played up into the night sky. The only ones I really paid attention to were Finch and Una, since Ingrid had previously pointed them out.

Ingrid is a relative to whoever currently owns the Anderson farm in District 10 now, therefore being a direct link to Zeb and his family. Is this something to do with the epiphany? I don't see how love and Zeb's family fit in together though. Maybe once I go into other Games I'll understand a bit more. Well, at least I hope I will.

"My mom and dad were young lovers," Zeb suddenly says, snapping me out of my reverie. "Met when they were thirteen and never left each other's sides since then." I search to locate his current position and find him sitting ontop of the fence. "They got married seven years later, around the time of the 72nd Hunger Games."

"Two years before my parent's Games," I muse.

"Yes," Zeb confirms. "But before that, mom was reaped."

"She _was_?!" I gasp.

"Yeah, for the 70th Games. Her last elligable year," Zeb explains.

"But . . . she survived?" I guess.

"Yes," Zeb answers. "She survived."

I don't ask why. I can see it's a sensitive topic.

"The Quarter Quell was a terrible time for my parents," Zeb continues to explain. "But they made it through it."

"This sounds awfully like love. We've already established that love is a part of the epiphany," I say.

"It's not about the love," Zeb replies. "It's about something else."

"What?" I ask.

"Doesn't matter. You'll figure out soon enough," He answers.

"What about Ingrid and her family, do you know them?" I ask.

"Yes. The Anderson family have been very kind to us over the years. Even when they bought our farm they made sure we were good and well. I considered them part of the family."

I nod in understandment. If someone looked after my family and I . . . I think I'd think of them as family too.

"I must go now," Zeb says. "There's going to be a big brawl tonight when the careers find Ingrid and yourself."

"They're going to find us?" I ask.

"Yes, very soon."

"OK."

As soon as Zeb disappears I settle down beside Ingrid and decide to sleep. The careers are going to find us anyway, so why not get some sleep while I'm waiting?

I fall asleep thinking about Penelope and Zebadyon.

~xXx~

Mya returns to me in my sleep.

_The roles have reversed. She's before me on her knees while I hold a knife to her neck. Her hands clutch desperately at my arms and she sobs for me to have pity. Around me is a crowd, cheering for her blood to be spilled. Lynn stands off to my right, her hands tied behind her back. She looks beaten up and bloody. Defeated._

_Kaliana is at the front of the crowd, screaming against everyone else to spare her. Spare her little girl. "Please Primrose!" She screams. "Have mercy!"_

_My mother appears beside Lynn, a grimace on her face as she pulls an arrow out of the quiver on her back and loads her bow. She points it at Lynn's heart and chuckles darkly before sending it through the President's chest. Killing her stone dead._

_Mya continues to scrabble at my arm, leaving scratches that'll no doubt leave scars, when Gale takes my spare hand and tries to pull me away. "This isn't the way Primrose, you can't kill her. You're better than them," he tells me._

_I still hear Kaliana scream when Maurice also appears infront of me. Some frilly, pink, Capitol girl is draped over him but he doesn't pay attention to her as he stares deep into my eyes. "Don't do it Prim. Don't do it," he says._

_Cat comes barging in through the crowd too but some people at the front stop her from coming towards me. "Do it Primrose! Kill the little bitch for all she's done to us!" She screeches. Kaliana roars at her and goes to start a fight but different people hold her back from Cat. Newsey clings to Cat's left arm, begging her to stop._

_I expect my father to appear next but he doesn't make an appearance. I wonder shortly where he could be. _

_Suddenly, everything else blots out-Kaliana's screaming muffled, mother's hard grimace blurred, Gale's grasp on my hand numbed, Maurice's advice unheard, Cat's screeching funnelling down to muffled whispers and Newsey's pleas falling on deaf ears-as Zeb appears before me._

_His face is a hard mask as tears leak out of his eyes and fall down his cheeks. He shows no sign of emotion other than the small droplets of salt water that drip down his face. I look right into his eyes, waiting to see what he has to say._

_And after the tiniest nod of his head, I silt Mya's throat open._

~xXx~

I'm awoken to Ingrid laughing. I vaguely note that I'm sweating, probably due to my nightmare, and that my eyes are wet with tears. I brush all that off though to figure out why Ingrid is laughing.

"Ingird?" I ask. "What's so funny?"

"Look!" Ingrid chuckles.

I rub my eyes with my arms and notice that Ingrid herself is perched on the fence, right where Zeb sat, and is pointing a couple metres ahead of us. I turn on the spot and shriek at the six people infront of me. Careers.

"Hunting at night?" Ingrid laughs. "Oh, you totally caught me off guard on that one!"

"Ingrid, don't patronize the careers!" I hiss.

"Oh come _on_ Bliss!" Ingrid says, bending over and scooping me to my feet by grabbing hold of my elbow and pulling, "You have you admit, that was kinda predictable."

I open my mouth to tell her to stop getting on their bad sides when I realize she's _right._ "Yeah, it was kinda predictable," I agree.

"Told ya," Ingrid says, turning her attention back to the careers.

"I told you guys there was going to be someone waiting for us to come," a familar voice says. Finnick pushes his way to the front of the pack and smiles. "Hello Bliss, we meet again," he grins.

"Hiya Finnick," I reply. "I'd wave hello but your girlfriend broke my hand with her devil heels."

"Go rot in hell!" Addie yells. She too pushes her way to the front and glares at me. "And these heels are Kravitz original!"

Ingrid barks out a laugh and I giggle quietly. "Oh yes, and they're _very_ _lovely,"_ Ingrid says sarcastically. Addie glares.

"Why are we wasting time?" A blonde girl asks tiredly. I notice the green streaks in her hair and think of my mother. Green is her favourite colour. "Why don't we just kill them?"

"Calm your jam 2!" Ingrid chuckles. "We're just having a civilised conversation!"

The girl from 2 joins Addie in the 'glare at Ingrid club'.

"OK, OK, let's just get rid of them and move on," the boy who stands beside the girl from 2 says.

Finnick glances over at the boy for a moment before rolling his eyes and pulling a knife out of a strap on his leg. "Still want to be my girlfriend Bliss?" he asks.

"The offer is still on the table," I reply with a grin.

"So what have you guys been singing?" Ingrid asks. "Anything interesting?"

"Well," Addie begins. "Finnick got yanked into singing a rendition of _'I'm sexy and I know it,'_ while I had to sing, _'Under my umbrella.' _Maria," She points at the blonde girl with green streaks,"was forced into _'Airplanes." _She then points to the boy beside Maria. "Jason had to sing _'Superluv,'_ and_ 'We are young.'_ Then Ruby sang _'Time after Time,' _and _'Up.'_ That leaves Harold who had to do _'Gangam Style,'_ while doing the dance."

Ingrid is in stitches by now, clutching onto the fence for support. "Oh my goodness you did the dance and everything?!" she gasps. "I'm so sad I missed that!" Jason's cheeks grow pink and I can't help myself sniggering.

"What about you two then?" Maria asks.

Ingrid's laughs die away a bit so that she can answer. "_'All by myself,' _and_, 'Express yourself.'_ First one was a bit depressing for my tastes but after I finished Bliss practically jumped me!"

I beam at her, unable to control the lifting of the corners of my mouth.

"And you Bliss?" Addie questions.

"Uh . . . _'Anything you can do, I can do better,'_ with Darren from my District. _'Girfriend,'"_ I look Addie dead in the eye when I say that, making her scowl. "And,_ 'Express yourself.'_ Quite fun actually, if I do say so myself."

"Now that we've exchanged a nice cosy chit chat, can we get on?" Ruby asks impatiently.

"Aw! They should have gotten you to sing your namesake song!" Ingrid gushes.

"That would have been so funny!" I agree.

"I know right?" Ingrid grins. _"Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, Rubbyy! Aaaaaargh!"_

"Oh shut up," Ruby snaps, loading her bow and arrow and sending an arrow through Ingrid's heart.

Ingrid's hand flies to the arrow sticking out of her chest before looking at me-her eyes panicked. She falls to ground heavily at my feet, unsettling the dust and making it fly in the air around us. The cannon goes off as soon as she hits the ground.

Dead.

Just like that.

It all happened so fast I can't comprehend it. She's dead. Ingrid Anderson was just killed. The word 'murder' comes into my head but I don't say it out loud because that would be so ridicuously stupid that they'd all probably die of laughter.

"You heartless little . . ." I can't finish the sentence because it hurts too much. So much death . . . the people I've seen killed . . . it's too much . . .

I crouch down beside Ingrid's body and whimper as I close her eyes with my fingers. I shoot a look at the careers. "Can't you see what you people cause? The death, the destruction, the_ grief?"_

No-one answers.

"And you do it out of enjoyment! You volunteer to go into the Games and cause all this on purpose! All of you disgust me!" I spit.

I stand up and recognize the all too familar feeling of my voice forcing it's way up my throat.

_"Some nights I stay up, cashing in my bad luck! Some nights I call it a draw!"_ I half-sing, half-yell,at them. _"Some nights I wish that my lips could build a castle! Some nights I wish they'd just fall off! But I still wake up, oh I still see your ghost, oh lord I'm still not sure what I stand for ohhh, what do I stand for? What do I stand for? Most nights, I don't know! Anymoooreee!" _As I continue to sing I fall into a bundle and curl into myself in despair as tears silently fall down my cheek. I fling my head back up to look them all in the eye,_ "Come on boys now this is war! What are we waiting for? Why don't we break the rules already?!"_

"Just kill her and be done with it Finnick," Addie sighs, rolling her eyes and turning round so her back is facing me.

_"Never one to believe the fight! Sit out for the black and white! I try twice as hard but the nap is right but here they come again to jack my style!" _I continue to wail out as I fall flat onto my back. Finnick crouches infront of me and lifts me off the ground by the small of my back._ "That's all right! I found a marytr in my bed tonight! Stops my bones from wondering just who I'am, who I'am!"_ I practically scream into his face.

"I'm so sorry Primrose," he whispers before he plunges his knife into my heart.

It's not until the world has gone black that I realize it.

He called me Primrose.

~xXx~

The all too familar feeling of being dropped into another tribute's body startles me into alertness.

_'5'_

I don't want to do this anymore.

_'4'_

I'm just so tired.

_'3'_

I don't want to witness anymore death.

_'2'_

I want my mommy and daddy.

_'1'_

I want to go home.

I scream as I run. I scream as loud as I can. I find myself running through trees and grassland, screeching my head off for Ingrid, for Jack and Wayne, for Amelia and Oswald, for everyone. As soon as the gong had blown I'd ran faster than I ever ran before. I eventually fall flat on my stomach ontop of a hill, and sob into the grass.

A loud bang suddenly snaps me to my senses and something whistles over my head. I scream as something passes over my head, missing me by inches. I jump into a sitting position on the grass and my heart drops as I realize what's happening.

A girl stands on the hull a few metres away from me, holding a pistol right at me, smoke rising from the nosel after the shot.

There's guns in the arena.

_**A/N: Again, I'm a MILLION times sorry for the wait!**_

_**Please R&R :)**_


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